Football is the most popular sport in the world; team names are spoken week in, week out, over social media, radio broadcasts, in pubs and on the pitch. Football club names provide something formal to be listed on the books, but its the nick names that surge affection from the fans.
Football is something that, whether you support it or not, no matter where you look, it is there, with over 3.5 billion supporters you cannot escape the world that is football; and with the season just underway the fans go crazy chanting…”Come on you Swans” … or Eagles, or Seagulls…or many other names of different bird species.
But why, and where did these team nicknames come from, especially linked with birds species?
Lets take a quick look at the history behind just a few…
Seagulls – Brighton and Hove Albion – Scarecrows local team
In 1973 Brighton began a rivalry with Crystal Palace, and although some 40 miles away, Crystal Palace are Brighton’s nearest league neighbours. It was Palace’s nickname of the “Eagles” that prompted the Albion fans to respond with a chant of “Seagulls”. The nickname took off at a game between the two in February 1976, with 33’000 fans stood at the Goldstone Ground to see Albion take the win. The Nickname has stuck and been popular ever since. And Brighton is of course a seaside town, so the “Seagulls” name Fits the Club Perfectly.
The Canaries – Norwich City
Norwich City got their name as many Dutch and Flemish Protestants arrived in the city in the 16th and 17th centuries; they bread their pet canaries, and brought them to the city. Strangely this was then responsible for the giving the club its nickname and influenced the team’s colours and crest.
The Canaries (Female) – Brazil Women’s
Another Team nicknamed the Canaries is the Brazil women’s national football team, although they are called ‘As Canarinhas’, which translates to the female Canaries; there is no history we can find though as to how this name came about – anybody know?
The Eagles – Crystal Palace
Originally Crystal Palace was called “The Glaziers” until Malcolm Allison’s arrival as Manager in 1973. He changed the name to “The Eagles”, inspired by Portuguese club Benfica. The crest then adopted an eagle holding a ball.
The Super Eagles – Nigeria
The Nigerian Football Team got their nickname from the countries coat of arms. They started out as Green Eagles, due to the colour of the Nigerian state flag, but this swiftly changed to Super Eagles following their controversial loss in the Final of the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations.
The Bluebirds – Cardiff City
Cardiff was officially given the city status in 1905 when the club applied to the South Wales FA to adopt the name. In 1908 the club made it into the South Wales League, the name change was granted. Two years later the club moved to Ninian Park they then also adopted the blue strip. There was no real reason explained as to why they changed to blue, however this is how the name Bluebirds came about.
The Magpies – Newcastle
There is no real history behind Newcastle and the Magpie name. It is believed that the name simply came from the fact the team’s kit where also Black and white, the same colouring as these distinctive birds.
The Robins – Bristol City
In 1897 the players wore red shirts and white shorts, a combination almost unchanged for the following hundred years which eventually earned them the nickname “The Robins”. Then in 1940-50 the first badge of the Robin was created.
Swans – Swansea City
This one seems fairly simple; Swansea is named the Swans purely from abbreviation of their name, they have also worn all white kits for the most of their existence.
So whilst many have an affiliation with these “bird species” in a football sense, not everyone is a fan of these birds. Many see the problems these birds can cause, and see them as a pest which they wish to move on.
Many walks of life all over the world experience problems with many different species of birds, dropping guano, nesting, resting or within aviation sector, the risks and dangers of bird strikes!
Scarecrow has recorded bird species natural distress calls which can disperse your Seagulls, Magpies, Robins, Swans and many more…We have been in business for over 30 years, selling systems to the highest technical standard, and our different systems are used in urban, agricultural, offshore and aviation sectors.
And just like football is a game of complex strategy, the strategy Scarecrow has each day is to help and inform business all over the world on how to ‘defeat’ (disperse) unwanted birds in a humane way.
So if you are in need of help in dispersing birds, whether you are a fan of the Seagulls, Eagles, Robins, Canaries ect or not, just get in touch.
