German names for English football teams

We've been here before, on the other website and maybe this topic belongs elsewhere on this site...but:

I am, once again, fed up with the way the German Media bastardise our football clubs' names. I have come to the conclusion that it has nothing to do with wanting to show the reader where the club is from, eg Arsenal LONDON. If this was the case, they wouldn't write "FC Fulham", would they?

No, it's just about having to have a multi-syllable name. "Manchester United" is left completely alone, as are "Bolton Wanderers" and "Tottenham Hotspur".

Does anybody have any idea what this is all about? Is there anybody out there who we could educate and get the Media to change the practice? For me, it just devaules the media and makes them look even stupid and amateur - lack of attention to detail. I know we have had our own querky names for foreign football clubs in the past, but I'm fairly sure we've got them right now. Except perhaps for Trevor Brooking, who manages to mis-pronounce any name found outside of the East End...

can't answer your question, sorry, but!

I don't think the british media does everything right aswell or how come most of Brits don't call "FC Bayern München" correct?

Hannah, you're right, of course. We tend to assume that the "FC" dosen't matter, 'cos everybody knows we're talking football. "1. FC Köln" would be another example.

Also, there are English names for most of the German cities, so "München" becomes "Munich", etc.

What bugs me though, is that whereas SHORTENING names seems to be natural, (eg, in Germany "FC Bayern München" is very often shortened to "FC Bayern" or in England, "Crystal Palace" is shortened to "Palace") ADDING prefixes or suffixes just seems daft... " FC" as a prefix, or the city (especially "London") as a suffix - what's that about?!?!

Even worse is when my brother-in-law latches onto the media calling Manchester United "Män-Jü". That makes my skin crawl!

So - why do Chelsea need an "FC" in front, when the conversation is about football anyway? And Why do Chelsea and Arsenal need the suffix "London", whereas Tottenham Hotspur need neither prefix nor suffix and Everton don't need "Liverpool"? I'll bet people have more idea where Chelsea is, than they do about Everton, or Tottenham Hotspur - why no "FC"? Why no "London"? It just doesn't make sense.

And why is it "Glasgow Rangers" (correct) but "Celtic Glasgow"?!?!?!

I don't know really

By the way I know where Everton is cuz my bf is from Liverpool but a REDS fan (Liverpool FC or is it FC Liverpool? )
I've never heard of Chelsea before I've met him, and I had no clue where Tottenham lies (if that's a city at all?) but I knew where London is (even had been there before )

Hey Matsan, even the Brits can't get it right. One of my most endearing memories of Saturday afternoons in the UK is the guy on the BBC who reads out the football scores. And every week it was the same and I can still hear him saying "Bolton Wanderererers." EVERY week. Cool.

To Hannah and Carolyn

... it doesn't matter where Tottenham is , full stop ...

and didn't he always used to say " Bolton Wandererers nill " every week

hehe ... maybe it's because I'm a SARF Londoner , that I love London town

rgds // Ian

You lot are asking for a FAT lip !! My team has always been BWFC and if you would care to look at the table and see who is in the semi finals of the league cup...PLUS who is the only team too have beaten the Chelsea mercs ??? Factory eh eh ??

sorry Craig

well I'm not sorry. I never said he always said "Bolton Wandererers nil." Although perhaps, looking back on it - no, it's more than my life's worth.

If it's any consolation CRAIG he used to do the same with Wolverhampton Wandererers...now they WERE crap.

Has anyone seen Yamyam on this site? He'd have something to say about Carolyn's last post...

Congratulations, Craig, on BWFC having beaten my team. I think you'll find that you were actually the THIRD this season, after the Gooners and Besiktas, but never mind - I'm sure it'll rank as your best achievement of the seaon, so let's not belittle it, eh?

Villa, of course, became the fourth team last night.

Still, I'm delighted for teams like Bolton and Villa making it to the heady heights of the League Cup semis; it must be a real novelty for you, to have your season go on beyond the January sales...

Villa is ASTON, right?

Hannah, you're learning. Do you know where Aston is?

no clue sorry (maybe next to a Villa?)

There you go then!

The German media should, effective immediately, start calling them:

FC Aston Villa Birmingham

Aston is a particularly choice area of northern Birmingham, which also boasts such nearby architectural and cultural attractions as Perry Barr Greyhound Stadium.

To be honest, I don't know, if all this really would help .
My boyfriend (partner ) thought BAYER Leverkusen would be a team in Bayern (Bavaria) also, as Bayern München, but Bayer is a pharma company and Leverkusen is not even close to Bavaria actually

Hi Hannah and the rest
Bayer Leverkusen is just like Arsenal
they used to be the work team from the Woolwich Armoury Factory
my grandad played for the before they became famous

as another SARF londoner
bring back Woolwich Arsenal!!!

hey welcome back Bully

Just in time to let me say, have a great christmas and a happy new year

and everyone else aswell

see you next year
Hannah

I was once reading the football results in the Munich Abendzeitung and it said "London 0 Milan 2" (can't remember the score).

PS They meant Arsenal.

As u can see, I'm so bored today (it being a US holiday) that I'm trawling old threads for stuff to comment on.

Yep. You must be pretty bored.

do some work then
mind you i am bored here at work...

hehe I'm bored too ... and I don't feel like working

did anyone else see Newcastle take Fulham apart last night ???

I thought it was a great game but I don't like seeing those guys sneaking up on the Addicks

ciao // Ian

Hey now, hey now, I live near that cultural attraction of Perry Barr's dog stadium, but I must admit that it's nothing great to look at. But on the other hand, it's better than most buildings in Birmingham to be honest.

To be honest, it is neither here or there if a person knows where a place is. It is the name of the place. Aston Villa is in an area called Aston. That is logical. Everton is in an area called Everton. It doesn't need to be named after a city, who said that was a rule?

By the way, I'm not going to start calling the Herrenberg Wanderers, "FC Deutschland Stuttgart Herrenberg Wanderers". Just incase nobody knows where Herrenberg is...!!

I think I may be getting my baseball and football mixed up here, but still, you have the essence of what I want to say!!

Steve,

That's my point.

German commentators seem obsessed with where the club is - FC Arsenal London being the original example. Does anyone in the UK care where Schalke is? I think not.

The post to Hannah was good old English irony...

Steve, where do you work? Your office furniture looks frighteningly similar to mine.

Ha ha, well, I used to work for Hewlett-Packard but I'm back in Britain now.

who would have thought it? well done Middlesborough

wasn't exactly Arsenal's first team , was it ???

no they were all red carded and unable to play