English football fans have always had a traditional of applying nicknames to their favourite team. These range from the exotic e.g. The Monkey Hangers (Hartlepool United) to the mundane - Blues, Reds, Whites or whatever colour the team happens to play in.
Nicknames tend to follow familiar themes, based on team colours, local industry, name of the team or their home ground, or a feature of the team crest (often an animal incorporated in the badge).
Here then is a list of English football club nicknames.
| Club |
Nickname |
Reason |
| Accrington
Stanley |
Stanley |
Shortened
name |
| Aldershot
Town |
Shots |
Short
version of name |
| Arsenal |
Gunners |
The
club were founded by workers from the Woolwich armaments factory. |
| Aston
Villa |
Villans |
Derived
from "Villa" |
| Barnet |
Bees |
Based
on the striped home kit. |
| Barnsley |
Tykes |
Colloquial
name for a Yorkshireman. |
| Birmingham
City |
Blues |
Colour
of home football kit |
| Blackburn
Rovers |
Riversiders |
After
a side of the ground adjacent to a river |
| |
Rovers |
Shortened
name |
| Blackpool |
Seasiders |
Blackpool
is a famous seaside resort. |
| Bolton
Wanderers |
Trotters |
In
the 19th century, one of their pitches was adjacent to a piggery. |
| Bournemouth |
Cherries |
Reference
to a cherry plantation near the ground |
| Bradford
City |
Bantams |
A
reference to the claret and amber colours of the club's strip |
| Brentford |
Bees |
A
misinterpretation of an early terrace chant "Buck up Bs" |
| Brighton
& Hove Albion |
Seagulls |
Brighton
is a seaside resort, therefore the nickname refers to a sea bird. |
| Bristol
City |
Robins |
Red
home kit similar in colour to a robin's chest |
| Bristol
Rovers |
Gas
(unofficial) |
Old
Eastville ground was next door to a Gasworks. |
| |
Pirates |
Reference
to Bristol's maritime heritage. |
| Burnley |
Clarets |
Colour
of home strip. |
| Bury |
Shakers |
Club's
first chairman, JT Ingham, commented before a game with Blackburn,
"We will shake them. In fact, we are the Shakers." |
| Carlisle
United |
Cumbrians |
From
Cumbria, the county the club hails from. |
| Charlton
Athletic |
Addicks |
Corruption
of the word 'haddocks', named after a local fishonger. |
| Chelsea |
Blues |
Colour
of home football kit. |
| Cheltenham
Town |
Robins |
Red
home kit similar in colour to a robin's chest |
| Chester
City |
Blues |
Colour
of home football kit |
| Chesterfield |
Spireites |
Named
for the famous crooked spire on the local Church of St. Mary and All
Saints. |
| Colchester
United |
U's |
Initial
of name (United). |
| Coventry
City |
Sky
Blues |
Colour
of home strip |
| Crewe
Alexandra |
Railwaymen |
Crewe
is a major railway junction. |
| Crystal
Palace |
Eagles |
After
the eagle featured on the club badge since the Seventies. |
| Dagenham
& Redbridge |
Daggers |
Derived
from the club's name. |
| Darlington |
Quakers |
A
reference to the religious movement which had a historic influence on the
town. |
| Derby
County |
Rams |
A
ram features as an emblem of both the city and county, and also in the
club's badge. |
| Doncaster
Rovers |
Rovers |
Shortened
name |
| |
Donny |
Derived from
Doncaster |
| Everton |
Toffees |
After
a local shop which sold sweets, including the "Everton Mint", on
match days. |
| Exeter
City |
Grecians |
Because
of the club's association with St Sidwell's Parish - people living in the
parish have been known as Grecians or Greeks for many centuries. |
| Fulham |
Cottagers |
From
the club's home ground, Craven Cottage |
| Gillingham |
Gills |
Shortened
version of the name |
| Grimsby
Town |
Mariners |
Reference
to Grimsby's maritime heritage - It was once the largest fishing port in
the world. |
| Hartlepool
United |
Pools |
Refers
to the twin towns of Hartlepool and West Hartlepool prior to the
integration of the two in 1967. |
| |
Monkey
hangers |
During
the Napoleonic wars the citizens of Hartlepool allegedly hung a monkey
believing it to be a French spy. |
| Hereford
United |
Bulls |
After
the local breed of cattle |
| Huddersfield
Town |
Terriers |
Named
after the Yorkshire Terrier breed of dog |
| Hull
City |
Tigers |
Colour
of the amber and black home strip |
| Ipswich
Town |
Blues |
Colour
of home football kit |
| |
Tractor
Boys |
Originally
a derogatory chant by rival fans refering to Ipswich's agricultural
heritage, the nickname was adopted by Ipswich fans. |
| Leeds
United |
Mighty
Whites |
Based
on the colour of the home strip |
| Leicester
City |
Foxes |
Reference
to Leicestershire's hunting tradition. |
| Leyton
Orient |
O's |
Initial
of name (Orient) |
| Lincoln
City |
Imps
(or Red Imps) |
After
the "Lincoln Imp" which, according to legend, plagued Lincoln
Cathedral during the 14th century. |
| Liverpool |
Reds |
Colour
of home kit. |
| Luton
Town |
Hatters |
Reference
to the hat making industry, which became synonomous with the town during
the 17th and 18th centuries. |
| Macclesfield
Town |
Silkmen |
Reference
to the town's silk industry - Macclesfield was once the world's biggest
producer of finished silk. |
| Manchester
City |
Citizens |
Derived
from 'City' |
| |
Blues |
Refers
to light blue home strip |
| Manchester
United |
Red
Devils |
The
nickname originally belonged to nearby rugby league team Salford, and was
"borrowed" by Man United fans. |
| Middlesbrough |
Boro |
Shortened
version of name |
| Millwall |
Lions |
Adopted
the nickname after being refered to as lions, due to their FA Cup
giantkilling exploits in 1900. |
| Milton
Keynes Dons |
Dons |
Derived
from Wimbledon, a reference to the club's origins as Wimbledon F.C. |
| Morecambe |
Shrimps |
Morecambe
Bay is a well known shrimping area. |
| Newcastle
United |
Magpies |
Based
on black and white colours of the home strip |
| |
Toon |
Originates
from the Geordie pronunciation of 'Town'. |
| Northampton
Town |
Cobblers |
Northampton
was once a major centre of the shoe making industry. |
| Norwich
City |
Canaries |
Rearing
canaries was a popular pastime in the area during the early 20th century.
The club adopted it's yellow strip because of the nickname. |
| Nottingham
Forest |
Reds |
Colour
of home kit |
| Notts
County |
Magpies |
Based on black and
white colour of home strip |
| Oldham
Athletic |
Latics |
Short
version of name (Athletic) |
| Peterborough
United |
Posh |
Reportedly
derived from former manager Pat Tirrel's comment that he was looking for,
"Posh players for a posh team". |
| Plymouth
Argyle |
Pilgrims |
Plymouth
was the departure point of the Mayflower in 1620, carrying the pilgrims to
the New World. |
| Port
Vale |
Valiants |
Derived
from Vale |
| Portsmouth |
Pompey |
The
nickname for the city of Portsmouth. |
| Preston
North End |
Lillywhites |
A
reference to the white home strip |
| Queens
Park Rangers |
Hoops
/ Super Hoops |
Reference
to the blue and white hooped home shirt |
| |
R's |
Final
initial of club abbreviation, QPR |
| Reading |
Royals |
The
town is in the Royal County of Berkshire. |
| Rochdale |
Dale |
Short
version of name |
| Rotherham
United |
Millers |
After
the club's home ground (Millmoor) |
| Scunthorpe
United |
Iron |
Scunthorpe
is the UK's largest steel processing centre. |
| Sheffield
United |
Blades |
Sheffield
has been a major centre for steel production and cutlery manufacture since
the 18th century. |
| Sheffield
Wednesday |
Owls |
Based
on the name of the area in which the club is based (Owlerton). |
| Shrewsbury
Town |
Shrews |
Shortened
version of Shrewsbury |
| Southampton |
Saints |
The
club was originally known as Southampton St. Mary's. |
| Southend |
Shrimpers |
Reference
to the local shrimping industry. |
| Stockport
County |
Hatters |
Stockport
was a major centre of the hatting industry. |
| Stoke
City |
Potters |
Stoke
is a world renowned centre of the pottery industry |
| Sunderland |
Black
Cats |
Named
after the Black Cat Battery gun based on the River Wear. |
| Swindon
Town |
Robins |
Red
home kit similar in colour to a robin's chest |
| Tottenham
Hotspur |
Lilywhites |
Colour
of home strip |
| |
Spurs |
Short
version of Hotspur. |
| Tranmere
Rovers |
Rovers |
Shortened
name |
| Walsall |
Saddlers |
The
town was a centre of the saddlery industry from the Industrial Revolution
onwards. |
| Watford |
Hornets |
Refers
to the yellow and black home strip |
| West
Bromwich Albion |
Baggies |
The
club historian suggests that it derives from "bagmen" who
carried the matchday takings from the turnstiles to the cash office on the
halfway line. |
| West Ham
United |
Hammers |
The
club's crest features crossed metalworking hammers, refering to their
origins as Thames Ironworks. |
| |
Irons |
The
club was originally called Thames Ironworks. |
| Wigan
Athletic |
Latics |
Shortening
of Athletic |
| Wolverhampton
Wanderers |
Wolves |
Based
on shortening of the name |
| Wycombe
Wanderers |
Chairboys |
High
Wycombe has been a centre of the furniture production industry since the
19th century. |
| Yeovil
Town |
Glovers |
Yeovil
was a centre of the glove making industry during the 1800's. |
