Nickname |
Club(s) |
Reason |
Addicks | Charlton Athletic | A corruption of the word 'haddocks', named after a local fish and chip shop |
Ash Trees | Ashford Town | The emblem of the town, derived both from the name of the town and from the large tree that stood in the centre of the town for many years |
Atom Men | AFC Aldermaston | Named after the local Atomic Weapons Research Establishment |
Avenue | Bradford Park Avenue | The club has always been known colloquially as "Avenue" |
Badgers | Stalybridge Celtic | |
Baggies | West Bromwich Albion | Acquired when the players played in long shorts |
Bantams | Bradford City | A reference to the claret and amber colours of the club's strip[1] |
Beavers | Hampton & Richmond Borough | From the name of the ground, Beveree, itself named after a mansion in whose former grounds it is situated. |
Bees | Basildon | Based on initial letter of club name |
Barnet | Based on initial letter of club name |
Brentford | Based on initial letter of club name |
Biscuitmen | Reading | Referred to former Huntley and Palmers biscuit factory in the town (not used since the 1980s) |
Black Cats | Sunderland | Named after the Black Cat gun battery which stood on the river Wear. Also references the lucky black cat which led to the team winning the FA Cup[2] |
Blades | Sheffield United | Local links with steel and cutlery. |
Bluebirds |
Cardiff City | Based on club crest |
Blues | Birmingham City | Colour of home football kit |
Chelsea | Colour of home football kit |
Everton | Colour of home football kit |
Grays Athletic | Colour of home football kit |
Ipswich Town | Colour of home football kit |
Shrewsbury Town | Colour of home football kit |
Southend United | Colour of home football kit |
Worcester City | |
Wycombe Wanderers | Colour of home football kit. Also known as The Chairboys |
Boro | Harrow Borough | Based on club's name |
Middlesbrough | Short version of name |
Stevenage | Short version of original name, Stevenage Borough |
Brewers | Burton Albion | Local links to the brewing industry |
Bucks | AFC Telford United | Derived from stadium name New Bucks Head (previously The Bucks Head) which was named after a pub that was formerly situated in one corner of the ground |
Bury | St Margaretsbury | Short version of name |
Canaries | Hitchin Town | The club's home colours |
Norwich City | Due to popularity of canary breeding in Norfolk in the early days of the club. The home strip became coloured to match the colour of the bird. Since 1922, is [part of] the club's badge. (See Norwich_City_F.C.#Colours_and_crest). |
Castle | Newcastle Town F.C. | Short version of name |
Cards / Cardinals | Woking | From the Cardinal red of the red and white shirt halves,[3] cards being a shortening of the nickname |
Carpetmen | Kidderminster Harriers | The modern carpet industry was founded in the area |
Chairboys | Wycombe Wanderers | Local links to the furniture making industry. Also known as The Blues. |
Cherries | Bournemouth | Stadium built on a cherry tree orchard |
Citizens | Manchester City | The club's home colours |
Norwich City | Derived from 'City'. Original nickname for Norwich, now superseded by Canaries (see above) |
Clarets | Burnley | Colour of home strip |
Cobblers | Northampton Town | Local links to the shoe making industry |
Cod Army | Fleetwood Town | Local links to the fishing industry |
Cottagers | Fulham | From club's ground, Craven Cottage, which has a cottage in the corner |
Cumbrians | Carlisle United | From Cumbria, the county the club are from |
Daggers | Dagenham & Redbridge | Based on club name |
Dale | Rochdale | Short version of name |
Diamonds | Rushden & Diamonds | Short version of name, used by its predecessor club |
Dolly Blues | Lancaster City | Derived from the fact that team originally played in the same colour as the 'Dolly Blue' washing tablets |
Donny | Doncaster Rovers | The regional nickname of the town |
Dons | AFC Wimbledon | Taken from latter part of 'Wimbledon'. See also Wimbledon F.C. |
Hendon F.C. | Taken from latter part of 'Hendon' |
MK Dons | Taken from latter part of 'Wimbledon'. See Wimbledon F.C. |
Eagles | Bedford Town | The emblem of Bedford features an eagle |
Crystal Palace | Introduced during the managership of Malcolm Allison in 1973. Origin unknown.[4] |
FCUM | FC United of Manchester | Abbreviation of the club's name |
Filberts | Leicester City | Seldom used, derives from previous ground being located on Filbert Street |
Fleet | Gravesend and Northfleet | Short version of name |
Fosse | Leicester City | Original name was Leicester Fosse, which derived from The Fosse Way. Name still in use by commentator Stuart Hall |
Foxes | Leicester City | Outline of Leicestershire on a map resembles a fox's head, Hunting tradition of the county[5] |
Gas | Bristol Rovers | Old ground next door to a Gasworks |
Gills | Gillingham | Short version of name |
Glassboys | Stourbridge F.C. | Stourbridge was a centre of glass making |
Glaziers | Crystal Palace | Reference to The Crystal Palace. No longer used |
Glovers | Yeovil Town | Local links to the glove making industry |
Grecians | Exeter City | Grecians was, for centuries, the nickname for people from the St Sidwells parish of Exeter where the ground is situated |
Greens | Hendon F.C. | The club's home colours |
Gulls | Torquay United | Seaside link |
Gunners | Arsenal | Team was formed from munitions workers at the Royal Arsenal |
Hammers | West Ham United | Although this may initially appear to be based on a simple corruption of the name, the team originated at Thames Ironworks; the club's crest depicts crossed metalworking/rivetting hammers |
Harriers | Kidderminster Harriers | Short version of name |
Hatters | Luton Town | Local links to hat making industry |
Stockport County | One of Cheshire's and Britain's main hatting industry towns |
Heed | Gateshead | Based on shortening of Gateshead, and the local pronunciation of Head |
Hoops | Queens Park Rangers | Design of home strip |
Hornets | Watford | Colour of strip |
Imps | Lincoln City | Legend of the imp statue in Lincoln Cathedral (also "Red Imps") |
Ingfielders | Ossett Town | So nicknamed after the name of the ground, Ingfield) |
Iron | Scunthorpe United | Local links to the iron industry |
Braintree Town | The club was formed as Manor Works, the works team of the Crittall Window Company, from which they gained their nickname Iron. |
Irons | West Ham United | The club's origins as the football team of Thames Ironworks |
Knitters | Hinckley United | Local links to the Knitwear and Hosiery industry |
Lambs | Tamworth | Team plays at The Lamb Ground, named after a local pub |
Lashers |
Blackpool FC |
Known as 'Donkey Lashers' due to donkeys on Blackpool Beach |
Latics | Oldham Athletic | Short version of name |
Wigan Athletic | Short version of name |
Lilywhites | Preston North End | Colour of home strip |
Fulham | Colour of home strip |
Cambridge City | Colour of home strip |
Tottenham Hotspur | Colour of home strip |
Linnets | Burscough | Name of a bird sometimes known as the 'green linnet'; nickname used for teams that play in green |
King's Lynn Town F.C. | Also formerly used by its predecessor club King's Lynn F.C. |
Runcorn Linnets | Name of a bird sometimes known as the 'green linnet'; nickname used for teams that play in green. Also used by related now dissolved Runcorn F.C. Halton |
Lions | Aston Villa | Featured on badge |
Guiseley A.F.C. | |
Millwall | Featured on badge |
Magpies | Newcastle United | Based on black and white colour of home strip |
Notts County | Based on black and white colour of home strip[6] |
Maidenhead United | Based on black and white colour of home strip. |
Chorley | Based on black and white colour of home strip. |
Mariners | Grimsby Town | The club is based on the coast |
Millers | Rotherham United | Based on ground name (Millmoor) |
Minstermen | York City | York Minster is a famous landmark in the city |
Monkey hangers | Hartlepool United | During the Napoleonic wars the citizens of Hartlepool allegedly hanged a monkey believing it to be a French spy.[7] |
Mushrooms | Hayes & Yeading United | Due to the fact that the club's Board keep the club's supporters in the dark. |
Nailers | Belper Town | The manufacture of nails was formerly a widespread cottage industry locally |
O's | Leyton Orient | Based on initial letter of club name. Before squad numbers on shirts, Orient players wore large letter Os on their shirt backs |
Owls | Sheffield Wednesday | Based on name of local area (Owlerton), after a visitor to the city drew a cartoon depicting Sheffield Wednesday as an owl |
Peacocks | Leeds United | (Virtually obsolete). Stems from the former name of the Elland Road stadium, The Old Peacock Ground, which was in turn named after the nearby The Old Peacock pub[8] |
Pilgrims | Boston United | Local links to the pilgrims who went to the New World |
Plymouth Argyle | Local links to the pilgrims who went to the New World |
Pensioners | Chelsea | A reference to the Chelsea Pensioners |
Pirates | Bristol Rovers | Local links to shipping |
Pompey | Portsmouth | The nickname for the city of Portsmouth and HMNB Portsmouth, possibly originating from HMS Pompee (1793) |
Pool | Blackpool | Short version of name |
Liverpool | Short version of name |
Pools | Hartlepool United | Short version of name when known as Hartlepools United |
Poppies | Kettering Town | Stadium built on a former poppy field |
Posh | Peterborough United | Believed to derive from former manager Pat Tirrel proclaiming that he was looking for: "Posh players for a posh team"[9] |
Potters | Stoke City | Local links to the pottery industry |
Puritans | Banbury United | Traditionally in the town's history, many inhabitants were strongly involved in the Puritan movement |
QPR | Queens Park Rangers | Abbreviation of club name |
Quakers | Darlington | Local links to religious movement |
R's | Queens Park Rangers | Final initial of club abbreviation, QPR |
Railwaymen | Crewe Alexandra | Local links to railways |
Rams | Derby County | Folk song "The Derby Ram", and by extension an emblem of the city[10] |
Red Rebels | FC United of Manchester | The club having been formed by disaffected fans after the takeover of Manchester United by Malcolm Glazer. None of the fans refer to the club by this, it is purely a media name, primarily used by the Manchester Evening News. |
Red Devils | Crawley Town | |
Manchester United | Nickname originally belonged to nearby rugby league team Salford |
Red Imps | Lincoln City | Colour of home kit and legend of the imp statue in Lincoln Cathedral |
Reds | Liverpool | Colour of home kit |
Nottingham Forest | Colour of home kit |
Manchester United | Colour of home kit |
Riversiders | Blackburn Rovers | After a side of the ground adjacent to a river |
Robins | Altrincham | Colour of home kit same as a robin's chest |
Bracknell Town | |
Bristol City | Colour of home kit same as a robin's chest |
Charlton Athletic | Colour of home kit same as a robin's chest |
Cheltenham Town | Colour of home kit same as a robin's chest |
Evesham United | |
Ilkeston | |
Swindon Town | Colour of home kit same as a robin's chest |
Rooks | Lewes | A common bird of the town |
Royals | Reading | The town is in the Royal County of Berkshire |
Saddlers | Walsall | Links to the saddle making industry |
Saints | Brackley Town | |
Southampton | St. Mary's Young Men's Association[11] |
St Albans City | |
Salop | Shrewsbury Town | Traditional name for the town of Shrewsbury and also Shropshire as a county (Latin name Salopia) |
Sandgrounders | Southport | Town is on a stretch of coast known for its expansive sandy beaches |
School of Science | Everton | 1928, comment of Everton's attractive style of play with the team being called 'scientific' or 'the school of science' |
Seagulls | Brighton & Hove Albion | Based on coast, also a response to the similar-sounding nickname 'Eagles' of their rivals Crystal Palace |
Seals | Chester City | Old ground named Sealand Road |
Seasiders | Blackpool | Based on coast |
Shakers | Bury | Club's first chairman, JT Ingham, said before a Lancashire Cup game with Blackburn, "We will shake them. In fact, we are the Shakers."[12] |
Shaymen | Halifax Town | Originates from the club's ground, same nickname as its predecessor club |
Shots | Aldershot Town | Short version of name |
Shrews | Shrewsbury Town | Short version of name |
Shrimps | Morecambe | Related to the fishing/shrimping industry in the region and Morecambe Bay's famous "potted shrimps" |
Shrimpers | Southend United | A historic local industry; alliterative |
Shopmates | Raunds Town | A reference to the local boot and shoe industry, which was largely workshop-based. |
Silkmen | Macclesfield Town | Local links to the silk industry |
Sky Blues | Coventry City | Colour of home strip |
Manchester City | Colour of home strip |
Smoggies | Middlesbrough | From the industrial pollution, or smog, from the steel and chemical plants surrounding the town |
Spireites | Chesterfield | Reference to famous crooked spire in the town |
Spitfires | Eastleigh | The first test flight of the Supermarine Spitfire was at the airport in Eastleigh |
Sports | Eastbourne Borough | Due to team's previous name of Langney Sports F.C. |
Spurs | Tottenham Hotspur | Based on the spurs that the fighting cockerel wears on its leg, of which comes from Harry Hotspur's fighting cockerels in Shakespeare's Henry IV Part1 |
Spartans | Blyth Spartans | |
Stags | Mansfield Town | Stag head on their crest |
Stones | Maidstone United | Based on the club's name |
Wealdstone F.C. | Based on the club's name |
Stripes | Stevenage Borough | Based on the pattern of the home strip |
Swans | Swansea City | Based on abbreviation of city name |
Super Hoops | Queens Park Rangers | Based on the pattern of the home strip |
Tangerines | Blackpool | Colour of their home kit |
Tarn | Barnsley F.C. | 'Town' spoken in the local accent. |
Terras | Weymouth | Club plays in a terracota coloured kit |
Terriers | Huddersfield Town | Named after the Yorkshire Terrier breed of dog - based on a vote of their supporters to create a nickname |
Teyn | Northampton Town | Town said in a Northampton accent |
Teyn | Northampton Town | Town said in a Northampton accent |
The Throstles | West Bromwich Albion | Based on the large number of Song Thrushes (Throstles) near the ground. |
Tigers | Gloucester City | Colours of home strip |
Hull City | Colours of home strip |
Toffees / Toffeemen | Everton | The origin of the Toffee nickname dates back almost to the formation of the club. Ye Ancient Everton Toffee House was a sweet shop owned by Old Ma Bushell, who created Everton Toffee. The toffee was sold to the fans. The team was called 'Toffees' or 'Toffeemen'.[13] |
Toon | Newcastle United | Local pronunciation of 'Town', meaning City Centre where the ground is situated |
Tractor Boys | Ipswich Town | Local links to agriculture[14] |
Tricky Trees | Nottingham Forest | Crest is a tree |
Trotters | Bolton Wanderers | In the 19th century, one of their pitches was adjacent to a piggery and clearances often end up in there. Players had to 'trot' through the pig-pens to retrieve the balls.[15] |
Two Blues | Bishop Auckland | The kit features two shades of blue, originating from the colours of Oxford University and Cambridge University. |
Tykes | Barnsley F.C. | Colloquial name for a Yorkshireman. |
Tynesiders | Gateshead | Gateshead is located on Tyneside |
U's | Cambridge United | Initial of name |
Colchester United | Initial of name |
Oxford United | Initial of name |
Sutton United | Initial of name |
Valiants | Port Vale | Based on official name |
Vics | Northwich Victoria | Based on shortening of official name |
Vikings | Doncaster Rovers | Based on the club badge, as well as Rovers being a term for Vikings |
Goole AFC | Based on the town's Viking history. |
Villans | Aston Villa | Based on official name and for being traditional rivals of Birmingham City |
Wednesday | Sheffield Wednesday | Original name of the club |
Whites | Dover Athletic | Based on the chalk from the White Cliffs of Dover |
Fulham | Colour of their home strip. Sometimes referred to as the Lillywhites |
Leeds United | Main colour of home strip |
Preston North End | |
Salisbury F.C. | Same nickname as its predecessor club |
Wolves | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Based on shortening of name |
Wombles | AFC Wimbledon | Reference to the Wombles of Wimbledon |
Yellows | Cambridge United | Colour of home kit |
Mansfield Town | Colour of home kit |
Sutton United | Colour of home kit |
Yeltz | Halesowen Town | Origin of the name has been lost track of |
Yids | Tottenham Hotspur | Based on the high concentration of Jewish fans |