all these nomadic references for team names in England. Is their some historical reason a lot of football clubs use these names so frequently for their club names? Silly question but, I was curious.
the "original" professional football club was The Wanderers because they traveled all over looking for matches and beating everyone. Wolverhampton's team adopted that name and call themselves the "original professional club." Most nicknames have something to do with the region or neighborhood in which a team plays -- Cottagers for instance. Luton was once home to a hat-making industry, so their team was/and still is "the Hatters." Teams like Wigan and Charlton take their nicknames from the actual name of the club "Athletic" or "'latics." In the past, several sides would join together to make a stronger squad in an effort to get into a higher-status league. This happened in Leeds, Manchester, etc. and that's where "United" comes from. Same with "Town" and "City." Rangers and Rovers, I'm assuming, are just variations on Wanderers. The one name that used to get all the Americans attention -- before they dropped out of the top flight -- was Sheffield Wednesday. It is said that this side could only get the pitch mid-week and that's where that name came from. My personal favorite: Scotland's Hamilton Academicals.
'Hatter' must also explain why you quote Luton scores in the chat room as well eh? Thanks for the info. My ignorance knows no boundaries when it comes to this League and game.
Other team endings that have not been mentioned: Albion - (West Brom/Brighton) meaning Great Britain. Forest - (Nottingham) prob. named after Sherwood Forest. Argyle - (Plymouth) Named after the Sunderland and Argyle Regiment stationed in Plymouth. North End - Preston's original location was at the north end of the town. Villa - From the "Villa Cross Weslyan Chapel" in Aston where the club was founded. Stanley - originally Stanley Villa taking the name from the Stanley Arms (prob. pub) and changing their name to Accrington Stanley. Bornmouth are the only league team who prefix Football Club (AFC Bournmouth) all others suffix (i.e. Fulham FC).
My favorite one is Crystal Palace, the Glaziers, as they were previouysly known, because of the glass house industry that one of their founders started in th 19th century, and Glaziers was because of the glazing of the glass. I guess a big glass house is indeed a Crystal Palace. I also laughed about the Sheffield Wednesday. I wondered why they chose Wednesday -- was Friday already taken?
