Archive for October, 2009

Bobby Moore: a Real Gentleman and a True Friend 0

October 4th, 2009

If you ever come to Wembley Stadium, you will surely notice bronze statue of Bobby Moore standing outside the main entrance at the new Wembley Stadium. The statue was erected in 2007 to honor the former captain of the England team when they won the 1966 World Cup.

Born in April 12th 1941, Robert Frederick Chelsea Moore — also known as Bobby Moore — won a total of 108 caps for the England team. It remains a record until goalkeeper Peter Shilton and David Beckham collected respectably 125 and 109 caps. He was born in Barking, London, and was known for his superb defending skills.

Moore joined West Ham as a player in 1956, playing his first game against Manchester United on September 8, 1958. His surprising ability to read the game and anticipate opponents’ next move caught the eyes of many UK football fans instantly. He played his first match to replace his mentor, Malcolm Allison, who was suffering from tuberculosis yet he soon became a regular first team player right after that. There is no doubt that Moore was indeed destined for greatness, and he kept showing tremendous playing skills as well as attitude both in the field and on his daily life.

Moore was on the verge of terminating his contract when he played the 1966 World Cup. Only after the intervention of Sir Alf Ramsey that he realized his ineligibility to play and resolved differences he had with West Ham manager Ron Greenwood and renewed his contract with the team. England was down 0-1 at the World Cup final when Moore acted smartly and delivered a quick free kick (after he was fouled midway inside the German half) for an equalizer. He remains calm through the entire final game and helped England won the World Cup title.

UK Football: Team Nicknames 0

October 2nd, 2009

Do you know that there are seven UK teams using “The Blues” as their nicknames? The most famous Blues would be Chelsea, but Birmingham City, Chester City, Grays Athletic, Ipswich Town, Shrewsbury Town, and Southend United are also called The Blues. It is quite common for sports team, in this case British football teams, to use nicknames. Some come from their fans while others are self-invented or created by the press.

In many cases, including the use of “Blues” by seven teams, nicknames come from color (or colors) of home strip or home uniform kit. Chelsea is known for their famous blue home uniform which grants them the title “The Blues” in the first place. The Black Cats, Sunderland, got their name after the Black Cat gun battery on the river Wear as well as the lucky black cat which led to the team winning the FA cup. Middlesbrough’s nickname, Boro, is a short version of the original team name.

Arsenal is also known as the Gunners for its local links to military arsenal. Tottenham Hotspur is known as Lillywhites from the color of their home strip. Manchester United’s Red Devils was originated from the nickname of nearby rugby league team called Salford. Altrincham, Bristol City, Charlton Athletic, Cheltenham Town, and Swindon Town all got the name “Robins” because the colors of their home kits are similar to a robin’s chest. Aston Villa, Villans as they are nicknamed, got their nickname derived from their official name.

Football clubs’ nicknames can be based on anything. You already see several examples of UK football team nicknames come from the color of their home kit, official name, and local history or industry. You can also find nicknames derived from the name of the ground or the home stadium, their logo, and even misinterpretation of certain terms referring to the team.