An American Guide to Premier League Nicknames
American fans new to the Premier League may find the nicknames of the various football clubs to be surprising, confusing, amusing and even offensive. I thought I should write this short introduction to the nicknames for newly minted American fans coming to the Premier League. There will be so much in the colo(u)r commentary to send you to the Internet it helps to know which team they are talking about when they refer to the defense as “shambolic” or the wingers as “pacey”. Many Americans will be wondering if these are compliments or criticisms, so it helps to put things in context if you know WHICH team they are talking about. Here is a quick guide to some of the nicknames in the BPL.
To the average Brit, this may seem unnecessary. Having a team named Sheffield Wednesday is not at all surprising. I mean the lads all met on Wednesdays to play and practice. It makes perfect sense to name your team after the place and day you are available for matches. No? Of course, it makes perfect sense. The average Brit is thinking this is normal and not THAT weird.
After all, Americans won’t be surprised by the Derby County Rams or the Hull City Tigers. Mean mammals are a staple of American football with Bears, Rams and Lions all coming to mind immediately. However, Americans think Terriers are “cute” and not ferocious and perhaps that is why Huddersfield…
