Words only ever used in a football context

[Gwylan]

Pretty obvious one but stonewall/stonewaller,, never heard that other then at football

That's lost me....I don't think I've ever heard that used in football context. What the hell does it mean?


It's used in cricket all the time...normally to describe my batting.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Pretty obvious one but stonewall/stonewaller,, never heard that other then at football

I have a feeling Peter Tatchell may take that one up with you. Perhaps you should pop down to Pride in August, I'm sure you can find a few people who'll happily enlighten you as to the provenance of the word

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Failing that, the term Stonewall is also used in the context of a US Confederate General, Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, who fought against the Unionists in the American Civil war.

His nickname is said to stem from either (a) his conduct during the first battle at Bull Run, or (b) his unique ability to maintain an erection during battle, (that one comes from Wikipedia so I don't know how much truth there is in it ).

Therefore you could guess that stonewall in a football sense relates to a kind of defensive discipline, an unwillingness to let the opposition win.

 

[simmo]

I wish I had seen this thread Early Doors so I could have put in my football only phrase

 

[Lady Whistledown]

I wish I had seen this thread Early Doors so I could have put in my football only phrase

I am almost certain "early doors" comes from Ron Atkinson.

Known for his unique ability to completely mangle the English language while working on ITV, he used it instead of the correct expression "early days", and it stuck.

 

[hart's shirt]

Hardman
Playmaker
Mercurial

 

[Fef]

"He's older now, and his legs have gone"

I'm getting on a bit, but mine still separate my bum from the ground.

 

[Norman Potting]

"Sick as a parrot".

 

[Jahooli]

APLOMB

....and the striker finished with aplomb

Don't think I have heard that word outside of football commentating

Nicholas Parsons uses it almost every time in Just a Minute, also part of lyric of Original Prankster (I think)..."with style and aplomb"

Never heard showboating anywhere other than football related topics.

Result, as in "I hope we come away with a result" meaning a favourable result.
There will always be a result of some sort.

 

[Spiros]

Not so much a word or phrase, but footballers seem to speak in their own tense. For example, instead of describing a goal and build up in the usual past tense: 'Well, he went down the wing, crossed it and I headed it in.' they need to describe things as if they're still happening now: 'Well, he's gone down the wing, he's crossed it and I've headed it in'. Don't hear the past described using the present tense in other sports, I think.

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

Upright

 

[Pavilionaire]

In his locker (as in "he's got plenty left in his locker")

The full gun (as in "he gave it the full gun")

Playing in the hole

 

[Box of Frogs]

Purchase - as in 'he got a bit too much purchase on that header' - It was a Brian Moore favourite.

Pretty sure I have never heard it used in that context outside of football.

 

[Blackadder]

Top Premiership clubs don't have transfer budgets. They have WAR CHESTS

 

[Nottseagull]

Surely the most recent, and most obvious one is
"a big ask".

 

[Muzzman]

Bouncebackability

 

[Nottseagull]

Bouncebackability

Was that one coined by Lawro?

 

[Safe.]

Rasper.

 

[Nottseagull]

Failing that, the term Stonewall is also used in the context of a US Confederate General, Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, who fought against the Unionists in the American Civil war.

His nickname is said to stem from either (a) his conduct during the first battle at Bull Run, or (b) his unique ability to maintain an erection during battle, (that one comes from Wikipedia so I don't know how much truth there is in it ).

Therefore you could guess that stonewall in a football sense relates to a kind of defensive discipline, an unwillingness to let the opposition win.

There was an item on the radio this week about the 30th anniversary of an incident at the Stonewall Gay club in New York, which kickstarted the gay liberation movement over there. When the London football team Stonewall was "outed" in one of the redtops, they came up with the superb headline of "QUEENS OF THE SOUTH!"

 

[Was not Was]

minnows

Yes! And minnows is different from most of the other suggestions in that it's only journalists who use it, isn't it? I mean, you don't hear players or fans saying 'minnows' ...