Rodders does not mind bit of Horse play with Pompey
Who's Matt? Casey reveals Trigger for his Blues nickname
IT's a moniker Matt Casey was given as a 16-year-old — and will now serve him for the rest of his Pompey career.
Around the Blues' Roko training base, the first-year professional is rarely called by his forename.
In fact, he admits it's strange if anyone calls him Matt ot Matty.
Instead, Casey primarily answers to Rodders.
Because of the centreback's 6ft 7in height and slender build, he was nicknamed after Rodney Trotter, the much-loved Only Fools and Horses character.
It was former team-mate Harvey Bradbury who first started calling Casey after Del Boy's younger brother during their days playing for Pompey Academy.
That label was swiftly picked up by members of the first team and it's stuck ever since.
And it's a tag Casey is fully accustomed to.
The defender, who hails from Botley, said: 'It came about when I was a first-year scholar, obviously it got brought in from Only Fools and Horses.
'It's just stuck ever since then.
'I think it was Harvey Bradbury who first started it.
'I don't know what brought it to his mind but he just kept calling me it then everyone started calling me it. It has just stuck ever since. 'It was a weird one. From the first team, Burge or Danny Rose started then calling me it. It was one of Matt Casey was 16 when Harvey Bradbury gave him his moniker those two. Those two were always picking up on things so it was probably one of those two.
'I sort of got used to it pretty quickly. I guess it was better than lanky or something!
'I'm quite used to it now. Not many people get called that.
'It's just natural to me now. If someone says it then I'll just turn around.
'It's weirder to be called my proper name at the club. If someone said Matt, I'd think "Who said that?" Rodders is what I'm used to.'
Casey answers to Rodders by the majority of Pompey's backroom staff, with firstteam coach Jake Wigley calling him the name.
However, boss Kenny Jackett and assistant Joe Gallen stick with the 19-yearold's birthname.
Casey added: 'A few of the coaching staff call me Matt but none of the players.
'Jake calls me Rodders all of the time, all the strength and conditioning coaches call me Rodders.
'But the gaffer has always stuck by Matt and so does Joe Gallen.'