The Origin of ⚽️ Nicknames 

There are some fantastic football nicknames in England such as the Toffees, the Tractor Boys, the Railway Men, the Black Cats and my favourite, the Seadogs. 

After some niche online research (grow up), due to my sideways glance at football I have looked into some interesting local football nicknames and their origins. Due to the large amount of teams to choose from, I have picked a select few to write about.

Arundel FC aka The Mullets. 

I’ll start with an incredibly historical nickname. The term “Mullet” has been used for over 200 years for people born within the Parish of Arundel. Arundel FC adopted the name from the townsfolk who used the name to begin with because of the abundance of grey mullet that could be caught in the River Arun as it flowed through the town.

Worthing FC aka The Rebels. 

The name came about after Worthing resigned from the West Sussex league (1920-21) in protest to a rule change, the rule in question is unknown but I like to think it was the banning of Vuvuzela’s. The name Rebels was a symbol of strength and it struck a chord with the local fans.

Worthing went on to co-found the Sussex County League which later became the Sussex Combined Football League. 

Horsham FC aka Hornets.

Some would suspect this name came about due to the large swarms of hornets in the Horsham district, however this was not the case. In 1969, the club launched a competition to find a nickname for the team. 

There was a tremendous amount of interest over a wide area, with entries from, Worthing, Brighton, Littlehampton, Petworth, Reigate and Sutton. The winning entry was submitted by Mr Medland of Highlands Road, Horsham, whose suggestion of The Hornets was thought most suitable for a team fans hoped would always be buzzing around and have a sting in its tail. 

Broadbridge Heath FC aka The Bears 

Broadbridge Heath earned the nickname “The Bears” due to their powerful and tenacious playing style. It also adds to a modern theme and badge which looks similar to an American football team. After some thorough research the only bears found in Broadbridge Heath is the thriving Teddy Bear. 

Steyning Town FC aka the Barrowman 

Here is another historical name, apparently due to the connection to the Royal House of Wessex and King Ethelwulf. The Royal House of Wessex patronised Steyning, plus King Ethelwulf was buried there in 858. There was a busy port on the River Adur which made Steyning a prosperous town and the name was adopted by the football team. 

Haywards Heath Town aka the Bluebells. 

This is a less imaginative nickname but it does have a meaning. Haywards Heath Town are called the Bluebells because of its location in the Sussex countryside, which is full of bountiful bluebells. It is also much easier to pronounce than the Latin name for the plant, Hyacinthoides non-scripta. 

Lewes FC aka The Rooks.

This has been a complicated name to research. A rook is a chess piece in the shape of a turret on a castle. This has been incorporated into the badge and therefore suits the club as there is the famous castle in Lewes. 

In contrast, I have also been informed that Lewes FC are affectionately nicknamed ‘The Rooks’ – after the black, grey-beaked corvids who nest around the stadium and the town’s castle. 

So, take your pick!

Bexhill Utd aka The Pirates.

Similar to the method Horsham used to create its nickname, Bexhill had a similar initiative around twelve years ago. The supporters were asked for suggestions, plenty were put forward but there was one suggested by loyal supporter Tom Bingham (RIP). That was the “Pirates” which stuck and has been incorporated into a new club crest which was updated during covid. The fans love it and being a place where there were plenty of smuggler gangs in the 16th Century works well. 

Newhaven FC aka the Dockers. 

This great historical club was created as football was taking off in the country and the bustling Newhaven docks played their part. With all of the men working on the docks and the people of the town wanting a local teams, the birth of the “Dockers” was created. Their stadium also overlooks the historic docks. 

Shoreham FC the Musselmen. 

Shoreham being on the South Coast is brimming with seafood as is the local fishmonger. Mussels were a particular favourite in the area. Many years ago, Shoreham supporters would carry black umbrellas with strings of mussel shells hanging from them. This would look incredible and would create an unusual noise to push their team on, in a similar way to a rattle. 

There are obviously many more, but so many are boring, such as the reds, the crows, the blues, the seagulls, I can go on and on, but I won’t. I hope you have been educated and enjoyed this unique trip down memory lane. 

Kevin Gargini