What is it with fans calling players they've never spoken to by their nicknames?
Pato, Mozzer, Rallsy.
What's that all about?
If you did it in any other walk of life you'd be considered a bit if an odd job. Why does it happen in footballing circles?
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What is it with fans calling players they've never spoken to by their nicknames?
Pato, Mozzer, Rallsy.
What's that all about?
If you did it in any other walk of life you'd be considered a bit if an odd job. Why does it happen in footballing circles?
Pretty much everything to do with supporting a football club is pretty strange. Celebrating wildly when some guy you've never met who's on thousands of pounds a week kicks a ball into a net is objectively pretty strange behaviour
I guess between themselves in the club environment players will have nicknames for each other, but for fans who are distant from it, it's strange.
Not sure mate. Had a chat with Becks, Gazza and Sicknote the other day and they don't know either.Quote:
Originally Posted by blue lewj
Fingers and Snowy were good ones :thumbup:
It happens in other forms of sport and art as well. Even some politicians have nicknames.Quote:
Originally Posted by blue lewj
I don't think it's a football-centric thing in the slightest.
Affectionate and funny ones I kind of get.
It is the nicknames that make it feel like the person has grown up with them and went on their stag do that make me feel a little uncomfortable when they're blurted out.
Oh yeah we've all worked with people or had mates who have nicknames and vice versa.Quote:
Originally Posted by The Bloop
I find it odd giving a familiar name to somebody you watch from distance and have never spoken to.
Some of the nicknames I've seen our players given are probably the only time they've ever been called that particular nickname.
Mozzer is also Morrissey's nickname. Madge for Madonna. Michael Jackson was called Jacko.Quote:
Originally Posted by blue lewj
Shane Williams is Shaneo.
Jeremy Corbyn is Jezza.
If you had 5 mins I bet you could think of loads of "familiar" sounding nicknames for celebrities.
Like I said, it isn't football-centric. It probably happens more in football though due to the amount of players involved.
I plead guilty to the occasional use of 'Mozzer' and once threw in a 'Pato' although I usually avoid the nicknames.Quote:
Originally Posted by blue lewj
However, I don't think you are right about use of nicknames being unique to 'footballing circles'. From memory I went through school using nicknames for teachers and other kids, a lot of whom I had never spoken to in person - including the school thug ('the Slug') and the head ('the BIM' - the bastard in the middle on school photos). The same at college and throughout most of my jobs - people I knew of but didn't know personally quite often had nicknames that were used by all and sundry (especially in HR and direct works supervisors and managers).
In our house we often use nicknames to refer to members of the Tory Cabinet, Starmer and Trump - it makes the abuse much more enjoyable.
Were most of them not given by the press though?Quote:
Originally Posted by Heisenberg
A bit different to somebody taking it upon themselves to nickname a player they've never spoken to with a name nobody else calls them. Sean Morrison I've seen called Mozzer, Moz, Morrie and Morro depending on who calls him it. He probably answers to one of them, if that,and from people he knows.
Think that is the first time I've ever heard Shane William's called Shaneo although my head might have been poisoned by valley girls on international rugby day giving a death curdling "Come on Shaaaane" at the TV.
Always called David Marshall, Marshy but found out that the players call him Boggy
Not having a go in any way, but why?Quote:
Originally Posted by Des Parrot
Marshy takes as long to say as Marshall and as you have pointed out, it's not even his nickname.
I’ve heard Murphy called same interesting names...........
I'm sure I've called him a few.Quote:
Originally Posted by theclaw
Not strictly nicknames mind and I'd like to think they'd be dished out to any player showing as little care to play in the blue shirt.
I've no idea! I work with a guy who shortens everyone's name to the shortest possible, Al (Alan), Ne (Neil), E (Ian) etc.Quote:
Originally Posted by blue lewj
I think most people do that. Just speeds things up.Quote:
Originally Posted by Des Parrot
Marshy is easier to say on pitch, also shouting 'Marshall' would make someone sound like Alan Partridge. Most footballers have one. My surname is James, when i played i was referred to as 'Jaymo' easy to shout and give instruction.Quote:
Originally Posted by blue lewj
Marshy might be but Des Parrot doesn't play for City.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tuerto
It also isn't his nickname.
To put it another way what if some lad who occasionally watched your games started calling you Jambo. You wouldn't find it odd?Quote:
Originally Posted by Tuerto
And i completely agree with you. I don't use the whole footballer nickname thing, proper cringy. As for Des Parrot, i've heard that he was a bit of a goalkeeper back in the day, so he may be entitled to use Nicknames :hehe:Quote:
Originally Posted by blue lewj
I had a trial once, 1977 I think, they didn't ask me back. The other two keepers Nicky Johns and Martin Thomas both went on to long league careers, my highlight was a couple of games for Hereford United reserves.Quote:
Originally Posted by blue lewj
You learn something new every day.Quote:
Originally Posted by Des Parrot
Jambo? ****off Lewj :hehe: i'd rather be called a useless ****, which did happen on numerous occasions :hehe:Quote:
Originally Posted by blue lewj
I still claim to be the only keeper who has conceded a hat trick of own goals from the same centre half in one game :facepalm:Quote:
Originally Posted by Tuerto
Fair play, Des :thumbup:Quote:
Originally Posted by Des Parrot
Did the centre half blame you? :hehe:Quote:
Originally Posted by Des Parrot
:hehe:Quote:
Originally Posted by Tuerto
That's what I mean. I bet some of the players have a good giggle at some of these names they're supposedly know as.
If only I could be in the changing room with Smitho, Benno, Moz, Toots, Willo and Glatzo when they read it.
Martin Thomas-Caerphilly Boy?Quote:
Originally Posted by Des Parrot
Bloke behind me used to say 'Knock it Pelts' i puked in my mouth.Quote:
Originally Posted by blue lewj
A certain long scarved City fan who shall remain nameless used to shout "Chuff the Anchor" back in the Bob Bank days.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tuerto
I still don't know what he meant but from having been cornered by him on quite a few occasions I'm sure he is partial to giving players nicknames.
Not sure, the Gas signed him shortly after & then he ended up at City, I think he got a few caps for WalesQuote:
Originally Posted by Tuerto
For us oldies there was Tappy. I remember Alan McIntosh being called Rolo and Joe Bonson being called Joe Bonkers
Chuff the anchor sounds great, **** knows what it means though :hehe:Quote:
Originally Posted by blue lewj
Sneggy, apparently. Think he did his youth with Rovers, as was the case with loads of lads in that era.Quote:
Originally Posted by Des Parrot
To be honest, I have no idea.Quote:
Originally Posted by blue lewj
Does the press doing it make a difference? They aren't football fans, so why are they calling people familiar nicknames - the bloody weirdos!
In all seriousness, I've never been one to call players by any thing other than their birth names either. Except one...
Have you never referred to Peter Whittingham as Whitts?
Fewer number of letters in headlines.Quote:
Originally Posted by Heisenberg
I think it's a Cardiff or Wales thing. I never noticed it before I moved to Cardiff from Portsmouth in the 80sQuote:
Originally Posted by blue lewj
My quirky mind has always liked that World Wide Web, when abbreviated, is longer - Double U, Double U, Double UQuote:
Originally Posted by Taunton Blue Genie