Abusive nicknames

[Glass Half Empty]

I have been thinking about these this morning and their usage seems to have increased in recent years. Although they are in general a bit pathetic, they seem, in some cases and in the vocabulary of fans, to be taking over from the official nicknames.

So, when did their usage really start? Are most of them abusive terms that have been used by their strong rivals for a long time, but are now more generally used? Are they largely a result of the internet? How many teams are referred to as "The Dingles" by their rivals? Are the Sheffield clubs unique in that the fans of each refer to the others by the same abusive name "The Pigs"?

[Outside Agent]

Abusive nicknames

I was also thinking about this recently, particularly the frequent reference to 'the other lot' as 'The Scum'. I can't stand it. It's infantile, but also a crude, modern development on the need to despise your sporting enemy at all cost.

[Bored Of Education]

Abusive nicknames

Could be worse. Cardiff refer to Swansea fans as gyppoes. They have also done hissing sounds and sing "Gas a Jack"

It makes "Jack Bastards" look quaint apart from when people mishear "Jack" as "Black" as has happened

[David Agnew]

Abusive nicknames

Glass Half Empty wrote:

How many teams are referred to as "The Dingles" by their rivals?

Barnsley, Wolves and occasionally Burnley, although I believe the preferred term for them is the Clampetts.

Ipswich's term for Norwich fans is "Budgies", whereas their name for us is the "Binmen", based on the fact that a character in Lovejoy, who was a binman was always seen wearing an Ipswich baseball cap. Highly suprising considering the programme is set in Suffolk.

[mafu]

Abusive nicknames

we call you the scum as well of course, though i expect that term is pretty common

[Sean of the Shed]

Abusive nicknames

At Tamworth we refer to Nuneaton fans as Blue-nose bastards. I'm not sure why there is any particular emphasis on the nose, it's not like Nuneaton is in the arctic circle. Also the moniker is not used the other way round, obviously if you use the term red-nosed bastard Mr Ferguson gets upset and no longer does interviews with you.
Another commonly used term now is "inbreds", usually aimed at teams from large rural outposts such as Norfolk and the fenland area and the South-west.

[shadsworth cloud]

Abusive nicknames

when i were a kid (cue for hovis music....) manchester united were known as "The Reds" or very occasionally "The Red Filth".
we all hated them with a passion, but we didn't feel the need to use any more abusive term than that.
maybe its a internet thing, or just a indication of a more mobile and communicating world with 24 hour phone ins etc that people feel the need to verbalise this aggression.
personally i blame gangsta-rap music

[dances with sheep]

Abusive nicknames

Rangers have been know as the Huns for as long as I have been watching football.

[G-Man]

Abusive nicknames

Pity that Celtic aren't known as "the Nuns".

[Ray de Galles]

Abusive nicknames

Bored of All the Beasts wrote:

Could be worse. Cardiff refer to Swansea fans as gyppoes. They have also done hissing sounds and sing "Gas a Jack"

It makes "Jack Bastards" look quaint apart from when people mishear "Jack" as "Black" as has happened

Actually, a large section of our support refer to any opposition players and supporters as "gypoes", tiresome wankers that they are.

The chants at Swansea are reciprocated with pretty much equally tasteless ones aimed at Dave Jones, I don't need to elucidate I'm sure.

They were actually singing "1-0 to the Jack bastards" last week, the Jack bastards.

[rick derris]

Abusive nicknames

indeed. as nearly genius as the terrace wag who first started singing '1-0 to the sheep shaggers'

[Brandenburger Toro]

Abusive nicknames

Rangers have been know as the Huns for as long as I have been watching football.

"The Hun" singular, shurely?

[Amor de Cosmos]

Abusive nicknames

Any club from South Beds/North Herts area are likely to be referred to as 'Pikeys' these days. I've heard fans of Luton, Stevenage and even Arlesey called that. I don't know if it's used anywhere else.

[Jon]

Abusive nicknames

"Ipswich's term for Norwich fans is "Budgies", whereas their name for us is the "Binmen", based on the fact that a character in Lovejoy, who was a binman was always seen wearing an Ipswich baseball cap."

He wasn't a regular character though, he (it was Warren Clarke) only appeared in one episode - Bin Diving from the second series.

Incredible really, that they have dreamt up that nickname from a character's one-off appearance in Lovejoy. And, like you say, I'm sure most of the binmen in Suffolk are Ipswich fans, just as most of the binmen in Norfolk are Norwich fans. No biggie.

(I never thought my encyclopedic knowledge of Lovejoy would serve me so well in a discussion of footballing matters.)

[Sean of the Shed]

Abusive nicknames

Amor de Cosmos wrote:

Any club from South Beds/North Herts area are likely to be referred to as 'Pikeys' these days. I've heard fans of Luton, Stevenage and even Arlesey called that. I don't know if it's used anywhere else.

During conference days Canvey Island used to be called Pikey Island, probably due to the large number of residential caravans than the local populace.
Sheep-shaggers tends to be spreading beyond Welsh borders. I've heard Derby fans referred to as such, presumably because of the badge, and also Carlisle for reasons I can't quite pin down, though I presume it's because of the hilly terrain around the Lake District, but I can't recall if there is a native breed of sheep to Cumberland, ulike other areas such as Yorkshire and Suffolk.

[Gangster Octopus]

Abusive nicknames

Amor de Cosmos wrote:

Any club from South Beds/North Herts area are likely to be referred to as 'Pikeys' these days. I've heard fans of Luton, Stevenage and even Arlesey called that. I don't know if it's used anywhere else.

Far too many Rotherham United fans refer to Doncaster Rovers in the same way. I preferred my way of referring to them. Even if it got me banned...

[Toby Gymshorts]

Abusive nicknames

Sean of the shed wrote:

I can't recall if there is a native breed of sheep to Cumberland

The Herdwick.

[Sean of the Shed]

Abusive nicknames

Thanks Toby



A beautiful looking breed I must say.

[David Agnew]

Abusive nicknames

Sean of the shed wrote:

Amor de Cosmos wrote:

Any club from South Beds/North Herts area are likely to be referred to as 'Pikeys' these days. I've heard fans of Luton, Stevenage and even Arlesey called that. I don't know if it's used anywhere else.

During conference days Canvey Island used to be called Pikey Island, probably due to the large number of residential caravans than the local populace.
Sheep-shaggers tends to be spreading beyond Welsh borders. I've heard Derby fans referred to as such, presumably because of the badge, and also Carlisle for reasons I can't quite pin down, though I presume it's because of the hilly terrain around the Lake District, but I can't recall if there is a native breed of sheep to Cumberland, ulike other areas such as Yorkshire and Suffolk.

While there is a Suffolk Sheep breed, and while they did originate in Northern Suffolk, there are very few sheep in Suffolk itseld, as most farming in Suffolk is arable. A cursory glance at google would suggest the most likely place to find Suffolk Sheep is Northern Ireland.

The only side I can recall calling Ipswich fans sheepshaggers are Birmingham City fans, but considering they've also sung ambrosia song at us, tends to suggest that geography doesn't get taught in the second city.

[Duncan Gardner]

Abusive nicknames

Phoebe wrote:

A cursory glance at google would suggest the most likely place to find Suffolk Sheep is Northern Ireland

Based on Irish League supporter chants, most likely in the Ballymena area.

PS you at the big local derby tomorrow, Phoebe?

[David Agnew]

Abusive nicknames

Not sure. Might be going away for a few days in the run up to the Old Farm derby next Sunday. I'll find out in the morning.

[Jon]

Abusive nicknames

I'll be at the ground from about 1.15 tomorrow if you're going, Phoebe.

Regarding sheep in Suffolk. It's strange. As you say it's an area predominantly known for its arable farming but it can't have always been the case.

The enormous wool churches (there's a particularly fine one in Lavenham, where they filmed many a Lovejoy episode) were built from the proceeds of the medieval wool trade so I'm presuming there were many sheep in the vicinity back then.