From Batman to the Galloping Major
When Chelsea l oanee Michy Batshuayi, who calls himself ‘ Batsman’, joined Borussia Dortmund recently, he was stepping into the shoes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who moved to Arsenal.
Aubameyang was known as ‘Batman’ in Germany for his goal celebrations featuring a Batman mask. So it was a case of ‘Batsman’ taking over from ‘Batman’.
It was just a quirky reminder that players’ nicknames have always been part and parcel of football culture.
The first nickname I became aware of as a kid was that of Stanley Matthews, known as ‘The Wizard of Dribble’. It was quite a mouthful for a nickname but he lived up to it with sparkling displays on the right wing for Blackpool and England.
Another star of that era was the great Welsh player John Charles, whose mild demeanour earned him the nickname ‘Gentle Giant’. Then there was the marvellous Hungarian, Ferenc Puskas, who was serving in the army and became known as ‘The Galloping Major’. Also from that era we must not forget the great Newcastle player, Jackie Milburn, better known as ‘Wor Jackie’ (Our Jackie).
Nicknames have since become an integral part of football. Those given to the so-called hard men need little explanation. At Chelsea there was Ron ‘Chopper’ Harris, while Leeds United had Norman ‘Bites Your Legs’ Hunter. During his Nottingham Forest days, Stuart Pearce became known as ‘Psycho’ for his aggression, while Wimbledon defender-turned film star Vinnie Jones, was dubbed ‘The Axe’.
Perhaps the most feared tough guy of that era was Liverpool’s Tommy Smith. His uncompromising style earned him the handle ‘The Anfield Iron’. When Argentina’s diminutive, but skilful Ossie Ardiles joined Tottenham just before playing Liverpool, Smith issued a warning for the little man: “I think Spurs should buy large stocks of cotton wool for such posers.” Perhaps a little fearful of what could happen on the pitch, Ardiles responded splendidly with: “Tommy very nice man, very nice player.”
Goalkeepers usually have feline-like nicknames, with former Chelsea custodian Peter Bonetti known as ‘The Cat’. However, back in the 1920s the legendary William Foulke, a rather large man, was known as ‘Fatty’ or jokingly ‘Little Willie’. He once ate all his Chelsea teammates’ breakfasts after arriving early at the dining room.
One of the greatest goalkeepers, Lev Yashin of the USSR, was known as ‘The Black Spider’. Less fortunate was Leeds ’keeper Gary Sprake who, after accidentally throwing the ball into the back of his own net picked up the name ‘Careless Hands’.
Goalkeepers are particularly vulnerable to acquiring less than complimentary nicknames. David James became known as ‘Calamity James’ after a series of errors, while Italy’s Massimo Taibi, during a torrid spell at Manchester United, became ‘The Blind Venetian’.
Nicknames for forwards have sometimes been a little over the top. Manchester United’s Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was known as the ‘BabyFaced Assassin’, not to be confused with Dwight Yorke’s ‘Smiling Assassin’. Someone I loved watching was John White at Tottenham who was tragically killed by lightning on a golf course. White’s ability to spirit his way through defences earned him the nickname, ‘The Ghost’.
It is hardly surprising that Harry Kane has become ‘Hurrikane’ amongst Tottenham fans, while in the US he was initially dubbed ‘Harry Potter’ which quickly evolved into ‘The Wizard’.
Some names are a bit more cryptic than others. In his Sunderland days, Irish player Stephen Elliot, acquired the name ‘Sleeves’. Apparently, in the dressing room before a match he would motivate his teammates with “let’s roll our sleeves up”. Another curious nickname, ‘Sniffer’, given to former Leeds striker Allan Clarke, came from his ability to sniff out half-chances.
A player’s physical appearance often leads to a nickname. Paul Scholes was known as the ‘Ginger Ninja’ while Spurs’ fans used to call Gary Doherty the ‘Ginger Pele’. West Ham’s Javier Hernandez is better known as ‘Chicarito’ meaning ‘Little Pea’, because of his green eyes.
Players of small stature tend to attract affectionate nicknames with Kevin Keegan being called ‘The Mighty Mouse’ in his Hamburg days, while the great Lionel Messi is known as ‘The Atomic Flea’.
The big guys can’t escape either. Jack Charlton was known as ‘The Giraffe’ for his long neck and longer legs. Arsenal’s Patrick Vieira, with his huge physique was labelled ‘La Grande Saucisse’ in France or ‘The Big Sausage’.
Most nicknames are of a benevolent nature, but a few can carry a bite. When he was at Spurs, Darren Anderton was branded ‘Sick Note’ because of his frequent injuries. Despite being a brilliant player, Arjen Robben is known in Europe as ‘Man of Glass’ also due to his susceptibility to injuries. Then there was Nicolas Anelka who became ‘The Incredible Sulk’ because he never looked happy.
Perhaps one of the best nicknames is also the simplest. Chelsea teammates found Cesar Azpilicueta’s name bit of a mouthful so they have settled for ‘Dave’. For the same reason, ‘Dave’ was the name given to Congolese striker Guylain Ntumbu-Nsunga when he was at Sheffield Wednesday.
South Koreans have made an increasing impact on the Premier League. During his days at Manchester United, Park Ji-Sung became known as ‘Three Lungs’ for his energy and willingness to chase everything. Currently Son Hueng-Min at Tottenham is performing so well he has been dubbed ‘Sonaldo’ by fans.
To finish on a family note, my dad, who played inside left at amateur level, was known by his teammates as ‘The Duke’ because no matter how muddy the pitch, his shorts always remained spotlessly white. It was a gentle way of suggesting that he was perhaps, not the greatest tackler.