Warning...football related.

[Subedai]

My son the actor has recently joined one of the more prestigious voice agencies in the country and he phoned today to tell me he's got his first job with them...as the announcer of the PFA Footballer of the Year on MoTD2 this Sunday evening. Result! Now if the Irons can win tonight then it'll be a great week for our family.

[Ithoriel]

Congrats to your son!

Now, if only I had some idea who or what The Irons were. I'm guessing a soccer club?

[Subedai]

Congrats to your son!

Now, if only I had some idea who or what The Irons were. I'm guessing a soccer club?

The Irons is the nickname for West Ham United, my favourite team. To the rest of the world it's not soccer but football -you know, the game that flows and the players don't wear body armour. Unfortunately the word seems to be catching on over here on the right hand side of the pond.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Well done him!

[Steve J]

Well done to him, but haven't watched for years, so highly unlikely to hear his debut.

[Techno]

Congrats !

(Never heard the 'Hammers' being called 'The Irons' before, though....How long has that moniker been going, Sub ?)

Cheers - Phil

[Subedai]

Congrats !

(Never heard the 'Hammers' being called 'The Irons' before, though....How long has that moniker been going, Sub ?)

Cheers - Phil

From 1895-1900 the club was known as Thames Ironworks before changing to West ham United from 1900 until present. Hence the chant 'Come On You Irons' which is also used as the acronym COYI when written. The 'Hammers' nickname dates from about the same time due to the ironworks in the area alongside the River Thames.

[Techno]

You learn something new every day !
Thanks, Matey. 
Cheers - Phil

[jimduncanuk]

You learn something new every day !

Here's one you might not know then.

Who are the 'PARS' and why?

[Subedai]

Had a quick Google because I haven't really got a clue and it came up with a few options, the two best being the Pakistan Amateur Radio Society ...or...possibly more relevant, Dunfermline Athletic FC. it goes on to say that one of the origins of PARS was because

'..."Most tend to confirm the more common belief that the name arose from the team's parallel striped shirts, their drinking habits or their style of play. The latter were both described as "paralytic". The earliest theory claims that in the early days when the Football Club was closely connected with the Cricket Club, the footballers were renowned for their performances at the bar and so were called the "Paralytics".' (copied directly from Wikipedia.)  I like that kind of origin.

[jimduncanuk]

'..."Most tend to confirm the more common belief that the name arose from the team's parallel striped shirts, their drinking habits or their style of play. The latter were both described as "paralytic". The earliest theory claims that in the early days when the Football Club was closely connected with the Cricket Club, the footballers were renowned for their performances at the bar and so were called the "Paralytics".' (copied directly from Wikipedia.)  I like that kind of origin.

Dunfermline Athletic is the correct answer to which team but the meaning of PARS is quite wrong.

Try harder.

[FierceKitty]

Good luck to your son, but why didn't they hire Jeremy Irons? The name should have been decisive.

[Ithoriel]

Why are Dunfermline called "The Pars?"

[Tawa]

Because they're well below it..... 

[jimduncanuk]

Dunfermline Athletic is the correct answer to which team but the meaning of PARS is quite wrong.

Obviously not many Fifers on this forum.

Dunfermline Athletic are known as the PARS because:

There is an organisation in the UK called the Royal Navy. They have bases all over the UK (and the world) but the main bases used to be Plymouth and Portsmouth which are on the south coast of England. Off duty sailors quite often went to the local football matches when they were not doing the things that off duty sailors do at other times. Plymouth Argyle apparently got a lot of support from them.

The Royal Navy would often post ships away from their home port and some of them were sent to the navy base in Rosyth, Scotland whose local football team were Dunfermline Athletic. The sailors, faithful to their own clubs would attend/support home matches of Dunfermline but would carry banners saying 'PARS' meaning Plymouth Argyle Rosyth Section.

So, there you go, a wonderful piece of trivia that you can use to amuse your granny, your next door neighbour or your cat. Might come in handy in a pub quiz.