[Football] Don't be a Dundee United!

[Stato]

There's a lovely story in today's Guardian investigating how 'Dundee United' has apparently become a byword for fool in Nigeria:

https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...how-dundee-united-became-an-insult-in-nigeria

I love that people have been using the term without even knowing that Dundee is a place, or has two football teams and a university. If you don't know the origins of the insult and then heard of the place and its institutions, it must be the equivalent of the Scots finding out that there is a city called 'Barnpot' which has a Barnpot United and a Barnpot University!

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

Oh no! I have just trod on a Leeds, why cant dog owners pick it up.

 

[Bakero]

Just finished reading that too. Wish I knew a Dundee fan (from either side).

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Forces personnel incl. my bruv in the RAF used to get upbraided for calling Falkland Islanders 'Stills'. Why? Well they started off calling them Bennys, after the none-too-bright character in popular soap of the day Crossroads. They got banned from doing that. So they started calling them Stills. Which was short for Still Bennys

 

[Dick Swiveller]

From my slowly sinking thread about the books of Alec Whicher

Brighton - "The Albion"

Up to the year 1898, all the football that was seen of any importance at all, was at Preston Park, where there were some excellent amateur games. An attempt to provide "big" football was made by the formation of Brighton United F.C., and in their initial campaign (1898-99) they did reasonably well in the old Southern League.

About this time, Dundee United crashed, and I understand that Mr W.E.Everest, well known in Sussex soccer circles, made the journey to Dundee, accompanied by Mr. John Jackson, Manager of the Brighton Club at that time, and bought half a dozen of the United's players. This may account for the Brighton Club at one time possessing no fewer than six internationals. I now learn for the first time that Robinson, Southampton's international goalkeeper, was originally with Brighton.

 

[Stato]

Forces personnel incl. my bruv in the RAF used to get upbraided for calling Falkland Islanders 'Stills'. Why? Well they started off calling them Bennys, after the none-too-bright character in popular soap of the day Crossroads. They got banned from doing that. So they started calling them Stills. Which was short for Still Bennys

I seem to remember hearing that, after 'Stills' was also prohibited, they ended up using 'Nomattas', as in 'No Matter what you say, they'll always be Bennys'. Insulting, inappropriate, and massively childish cussedness: Makes you genuinely proud to be British!

 

[Icy Gull]

Forces personnel incl. my bruv in the RAF used to get upbraided for calling Falkland Islanders 'Stills'. Why? Well they started off calling them Bennys, after the none-too-bright character in popular soap of the day Crossroads. They got banned from doing that. So they started calling them Stills. Which was short for Still Bennys

You learn something from NSC every day. I had no idea that upbraided was a word that even existed until you posted this

 

[Stato]

Oh no! I have just trod on a Leeds, why cant dog owners pick it up.

Do they want White back to recreate the seventies?

 

[Gwylan]

Just finished reading that too. Wish I knew a Dundee fan (from either side).

I do (an Arab not a Dee). Needless to say, I've sent him the link

 

[Gwylan]

I do (an Arab not a Dee). Needless to say, I've sent him the link

I've just heard back from him. He claims that it's not true (or at least exaggerated) - that's what a Nigerian friend told him.

His theory is that it's a spurious rumour made up by mischief-making Huns

 

[veuve]

Dundee and hove albion.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

You learn something from NSC every day. I had no idea that upbraided was a word that even existed until you posted this

And there l was thinking that you were one of the more articulate on here.

 

[nickbrighton]

Forces personnel incl. my bruv in the RAF used to get upbraided for calling Falkland Islanders 'Stills'. Why? Well they started off calling them Bennys, after the none-too-bright character in popular soap of the day Crossroads. They got banned from doing that. So they started calling them Stills. Which was short for Still Bennys

Very true. I was there in 1983 based on East Falkland, we were told not to call the locals Benny, and so it became "Stills". In "retaliation" the locals referred to us as "Wheni's" as in "When I was in....." as most serviceman will include in nearly every conversation stories of "When I was in...., Cyprus, Germany, etc

 

[GT49er]

Just finished reading that too. Wish I knew a Dundee fan (from either side).

If you did, they'd tell you the premise behind much of the article was rubbish - Dundee United play at Tannadice, not Dens Park.

 

[Stato]

If you did, they'd tell you the premise behind much of the article was rubbish - Dundee United play at Tannadice, not Dens Park.

I don't think you read it very carefully. It doesn't say that United play at Dens Park. It says, correctly, that Dundee play at Dens Park. The article questions whether, when Nigeria U16s were based at Dens Park, mischievous Dundee fans told them that Dundee United meant idiot.

 

[lawros left foot]

I seem to remember hearing that, after 'Stills' was also prohibited, they ended up using 'Nomattas', as in 'No Matter what you say, they'll always be Bennys'. Insulting, inappropriate, and massively childish cussedness: Makes you genuinely proud to be British!

I was down the Falklands when the order about refraining from calling the Islanders “Bennys” was issued.
The Army General who was Senior Officer South Atlantic was General Peter De Le Billiere, at the time,previously Commanding Officer Special Forces, and later, of Gulf War fame.

SNOWFLAKE!!

 

[Brovion]

I seem to remember hearing that, after 'Stills' was also prohibited, they ended up using 'Nomattas', as in 'No Matter what you say, they'll always be Bennys'. Insulting, inappropriate, and massively childish cussedness: Makes you genuinely proud to be British!

I think you missed a stage. Before 'Normattas' they were (apparently) called 'Andys' as in "And he's still a Benny!". But yeah, it kept the language police on their toes!

 

[StonehamPark]

Half my family are from Dundee.
What does that make me?

 

[Icy Gull]

And there l was thinking that you were one of the more articulate on here.

You was wrong

 

[Hampden Park]

the sweaty socks on board used to use the term 'dunderheads'? = stupid