List of football club nicknames in the United Kingdom
This is a list of nicknames for United Kingdom football clubs. Nicknames are usually preceded by 'The'. The origins of some nicknames are unclear with various stories being put forward.
The usual basis for nicknames are:
- Local industry
- Colour of home strip
- Name of club
- Name of area or ground
- Logo
- Influence by Players or Fans
England
| Nickname | Club | Reason |
| Addicks | Charlton Athletic | A corruption of the word 'haddocks', named after a local fish and chip shop |
| Angels | Tonbridge Angels | Based on the club's name |
| Ash Trees | Ashford Town | The emblem of the town, derived both from the name of the town and from the large tree that stood in the centre of the town for many years |
| Atom Men | AFC Aldermaston | Named after the local Atomic Weapons Research Establishment |
| Avenue | Bradford Park Avenue | The club has always been known colloquially as "Avenue" |
| Baggies | West Bromwich Albion | Acquired when the players played in long shorts |
| Bantams | Bradford City | A reference to the claret and amber colours of the club's strip |
| Beach Boys | Concord Rangers | Their first stadium was right next to the beach. |
| Beavers | Hampton & Richmond Borough | From the name of the ground, Beveree, itself named after a mansion in whose former grounds it is situated. |
| Bees | Basildon | Based on initial letter of club name |
| Bees | Barnet | Based on initial letter of club name |
| Bees | Brentford | Based on initial letter of club name |
| Biscuitmen | Reading | Referred to former Huntley and Palmers biscuit factory in the town |
| Black Cats | Sunderland | Named after the Black Cat gun battery which stood on the river Wear. Also references the 'lucky' black cat which 'led' to the team winning the FA Cup |
| Blades | Sheffield United | Local links with steel and cutlery. Formerly the nickname of rivals Sheffield Wednesday at which time United were known as the Cutlers |
| Bluebirds | Cardiff City | Based on club crest |
| Bluebirds | Chippenham Town F.C. | |
| Blues | Birmingham City | Colour of home football kit |
| Blues | Chelsea | Colour of home football kit |
| Blues | Everton | Colour of home football kit |
| Blues | Grays Athletic | Colour of home football kit |
| Blues | Ipswich Town | Colour of home football kit |
| Blues | Shrewsbury Town | Colour of home football kit |
| Blues | Southend United | Colour of home football kit |
| Blues | Wingate & Finchley | Colour of home football kit |
| Blues | Worcester City | |
| Blues | Wycombe Wanderers | Colour of home football kit. Also known as The Chairboys |
| Boro | Harrow Borough | Based on club's name |
| Boro | Middlesbrough | Short version of name |
| Boro | Nuneaton Borough | Based on club's name |
| Boro | Stevenage | Short version of original name, Stevenage Borough |
| Brakes | Leamington | Leamington were the works team for the local Automotive Products factory, which made, amongst other things, aeroplane brakes |
| Brickies | Sittingbourne | |
| Brewers | Burton Albion | Local links to the brewing industry |
| Bucks | AFC Telford United | Derived from stadium name New Bucks Head which was named after a pub that was formerly situated in one corner of the ground |
| Bury | St Margaretsbury | Short version of name |
| Canaries | Hitchin Town | The club's home colours |
| Canaries | Norwich City | Due to popularity of canary breeding in Norfolk in the early days of the club. The home strip became coloured to match the colour of the bird. Since 1922, is the club's badge.. |
| Castle | Newcastle Town F.C. | Short version of name |
| Casuals | Corinthian-Casuals | Short version of name |
| Cards / Cardinals | Woking | From the Cardinal red of the red and white shirt halves, cards being a shortening of the nickname |
| Carpetmen | Kidderminster Harriers | The modern carpet industry was founded in the area |
| Chairboys | Wycombe Wanderers | Local links to the furniture making industry. Also known as The Blues. |
| Cherries | A.F.C. Bournemouth | Stadium built on a cherry tree orchard |
| Citizens | Manchester City | From the name "City"; historically "citizen" meant "inhabitant of a city". |
| Citizens | Norwich City | Derived from 'City'. Original nickname for Norwich, now superseded by Canaries |
| Clarets | Burnley | Colour of home strip |
| Clarets | Chelmsford City | Colour of home strip |
| Club | Sheffield F.C. | World's oldest football club |
| Cobblers | Northampton Town | Local links to the shoe making industry |
| Cod Army | Fleetwood Town | Local links to the fishing industry |
| Cottagers | Fulham | From club's ground, Craven Cottage, which has a cottage in the corner |
| Crusaders | Hungerford Town | |
| Cumbrians | Carlisle United | From Cumbria, the county the club are from |
| Daggers | Dagenham & Redbridge | Based on club name |
| Dale | Rochdale | Short version of name |
| Darts | Dartford | Based on club's name |
| Diamonds | Rushden & Diamonds | Short version of name, used by its predecessor club |
| Dolly Blues | Lancaster City | Derived from the fact that team originally played in the same colour as the 'Dolly Blue' washing tablets |
| Donny | Doncaster Rovers | The regional nickname of the town |
| Dons | AFC Wimbledon | Taken from latter part of 'Wimbledon'. See also Wimbledon F.C. |
| Dons | Hendon F.C. | Taken from latter part of 'Hendon' |
| Dons | MK Dons | Taken from latter part of 'Wimbledon'. See Wimbledon F.C. |
| Eagles | Bedford Town | The emblem of Bedford features an eagle |
| Eagles | Crystal Palace | Introduced during the managership of Malcolm Allison in 1973. Origin unknown. |
| FCUM | FC United of Manchester | Abbreviation of the club's name |
| Filberts | Leicester City | Seldom used, derives from previous ground being located on Filbert Street |
| Fleet | Gravesend and Northfleet | Short version of name |
| Fosse | Leicester City | Original name was Leicester Fosse, which derived from The Fosse Way. Name still in use by commentator Stuart Hall |
| Foxes | Leicester City | Outline of Leicestershire on a map resembles a fox's head, Hunting tradition of the county |
| Franchise | Milton Keynes | Franchised football club |
| Gas | Bristol Rovers | Old ground next door to a Gasworks |
| Gate | Margate | The ending of the club's name |
| Gills | Gillingham | Short version of name |
| Glassboys | Stourbridge F.C. | Stourbridge was a centre of glass making |
| Glaziers | Crystal Palace | Reference to The Crystal Palace. No longer used |
| Glovers | Yeovil Town | Local links to the glove making industry |
| Grecians | Exeter City | Grecians was, for centuries, the nickname for people from the St Sidwells parish of Exeter where the ground is situated |
| Greens | Hendon F.C. | The club's home colours |
| Gulls | Torquay United | Seaside link |
| Gunners | Arsenal | Team was formed from munitions workers at the Royal Arsenal |
| Hamlet | Dulwich Hamlet | Shortened version of the club's name |
| Hammers | West Ham United | Although this may initially appear to be based on a simple corruption of the name, the team originated at Thames Ironworks; the club's crest depicts crossed metalworking/rivetting hammers |
| Harriers | Kidderminster Harriers | Short version of name |
| Hatters | Luton Town | Local links to hat making industry |
| Hatters | Stockport County | One of Cheshire's and Britain's main hatting industry towns |
| Hawks | Harlow Town | |
| Hawks | Whitehawk | The end of the club's name |
| Hillians | Burgess Hill Town | Based on coming from Burgess Hill |
| Heed | Gateshead | Based on shortening of Gateshead, and the local pronunciation of Head |
| Hoops | Queens Park Rangers | Design of home strip |
| Hornets | Watford | Colour of strip |
| Imps | Lincoln City | Legend of the imp statue in Lincoln Cathedral |
| Invicta | Folkestone Invicta | The end of the club's name |
| Iron | Scunthorpe United | Local links to the iron industry |
| Iron | Braintree Town | The club was formed as Manor Works, the works team of the Crittall Window Company, from which they gained their nickname Iron. |
| Irons | West Ham United | The club's origins as the football team of Thames Ironworks. Used more by fans, and on matchdays, than the club's official nickname "The Hammers." Irons can be heard in chants/songs by fans such as "Come on You Irons!" |
| K's | Kingstonian | The first letter of the club's name |
| Knitters | Hinckley United | Local links to the Knitwear and Hosiery industry |
| Lads | Sunderland | Name used by the fans, locals and media on match days and used on the stand has club motto "Ha'way the Lads" fans say "Ganna watch the Lads" True nickname of Sunderland |
| Lambs | Tamworth | Team plays at The Lamb Ground, named after a local pub |
| Lashers | Blackpool FC | Known as 'Donkey Lashers' due to donkeys on Blackpool Beach |
| Latics | Oldham Athletic | Short version of name |
| Latics | Wigan Athletic | Short version of name |
| Lilywhites | Preston North End | Colour of home strip |
| Lilywhites | Fulham | Colour of home strip |
| Lilywhites | Cambridge City | Colour of home strip |
| Lilywhites | Tottenham Hotspur | Colour of home strip |
| Linnets | Burscough | Name of a bird sometimes known as the 'green linnet'; nickname used for teams that play in green |
| Linnets | King's Lynn Town F.C. | Also formerly used by its predecessor club King's Lynn F.C. |
| Linnets | Runcorn Linnets | Name of a bird sometimes known as the 'green linnet'; nickname used for teams that play in green. Also used by related now dissolved Runcorn F.C. Halton |
| Lions | Aston Villa F.C. | Featured on badge |
| Lions | Millwall | Featured on badge |
| Lions | Guiseley A.F.C. | - |
| Mackems | Sunderland A.F.C. | From their shipbuilding heritage |
| Magpies | Newcastle United | Based on black and white colour of home strip |
| Magpies | Notts County | Based on black and white colour of home strip |
| Magpies | Maidenhead United | Based on black and white colour of home strip. |
| Magpies | Chorley | Based on black and white colour of home strip. |
| Mariners | Grimsby Town | The club is based on the coast |
| Millers | Rotherham United | Based on ground name |
| Minstermen | York City | York Minster is a famous landmark in the city |
| Moatsiders | Merstham | They play at Moatside |
| Monkey hangers | Hartlepool United | During the Napoleonic wars the citizens of Hartlepool allegedly hanged a monkey believing it to be a French spy. |
| Moors | Solihull Moors | Shortened version of their name |
| Mushrooms | Hayes & Yeading United | Due to the fact that the club's Board keep the club's supporters in the dark. |
| Nailers | Belper Town | The manufacture of nails was formerly a widespread cottage industry locally |
| O's | Leyton Orient | Based on initial letter of club name. Before squad numbers on shirts, Orient players wore large letter Os on their shirt backs |
| Owls | Sheffield Wednesday | Based on name of local area, after a visitor to the city drew a cartoon depicting Sheffield Wednesday as an owl |
| Peacocks | Leeds United | . Stems from the former name of the Elland Road stadium, The Old Peacock Ground, which was in turn named after the nearby The Old Peacock pub |
| Pilgrims | Boston United | Local links to the pilgrims who went to the New World |
| Pilgrims | Plymouth Argyle | Local links to the pilgrims who went to the New World |
| Pirates | Bristol Rovers | Local links to shipping |
| Pompey | Portsmouth | The nickname for the city of Portsmouth and HMNB Portsmouth, possibly originating from HMS Pompee |
| Pool | Blackpool | Short version of name |
| Pool | ||
| Pools | Hartlepool United | Short version of name when known as Hartlepools United |
| Poppies | Kettering Town | Stadium built on a former poppy field |
| Poppies | Bournemouth F.C. | Poppies used to flourish in the stadium |
| Posh | Peterborough United | Believed to derive from former manager Pat Tirrel proclaiming that he was looking for: "Posh players for a posh team" |
| Potters | Stoke City | Local links to the pottery industry |
| Puritans | Banbury United | Traditionally in the town's history, many inhabitants were strongly involved in the Puritan movement |
| QPR | Queens Park Rangers | Abbreviation of club name |
| Quakers | Darlington | Local links to religious movement |
| R's | Queens Park Rangers | Final initial of club abbreviation, QPR |
| R's | Brightlingsea Regent | The first letter of the word Regent |
| Railwaymen | Crewe Alexandra | Local links to railways |
| Rams | Derby County | Folk song "The Derby Ram", and by extension an emblem of the city |
| Rams | Hendon | A ram is on their logo. |
| Rebels | Slough Town | Created the Corinthian League in protest against the Spartan League |
| Rebels | Worthing | Resigned from the West Sussex League due to a rule change in 1920 |
| Red Rebels | FC United of Manchester | The club having been formed by disaffected fans after the takeover of Manchester United by Malcolm Glazer. None of the fans refer to the club by this, it is purely a media name, primarily used by the Manchester Evening News. |
| Red Devils | Crawley Town | |
| Red Devils | Manchester United | Nickname originally belonged to nearby rugby league team Salford |
| Red Imps | Lincoln City | Colour of home kit and legend of the imp statue in Lincoln Cathedral |
| Reds | Liverpool | Colour of home kit |
| Reds | Nottingham Forest | Colour of home kit |
| Reds | Manchester United | Colour of home kit |
| Ricay | Billericay Town | Based on the club's name |
| Riversiders | Blackburn Rovers | After a side of the ground adjacent to a river |
| Robins | Altrincham | Colour of home kit same as a robin's chest |
| Robins | Bracknell Town | |
| Robins | Bristol City | Colour of home kit same as a robin's chest |
| Robins | Charlton Athletic | Colour of home kit same as a robin's chest |
| Robins | Cheltenham Town | Colour of home kit same as a robin's chest |
| Robins | Carshalton Athletic | A robin is on the club's logo |
| Robins | Evesham United | |
| Robins | Ilkeston | |
| Robins | Swindon Town | Colour of home kit same as a robin's chest |
| Rocks | Bognor Regis Town | |
| Rocks | East Thurrock United | |
| Romans | Bath City | |
| Rooks | Lewes | A common bird of the town |
| Royals | Reading | The town is in the Royal County of Berkshire |
| Saddlers | Walsall | Links to the saddle making industry |
| Saints | Brackley Town | |
| Saints | Southampton | St. Mary's Young Men's Association |
| Saints | St Albans City | |
| Salop | Shrewsbury Town | Traditional name for the town of Shrewsbury and also Shropshire as a county |
| Sandgrounders | Southport | Town is on a stretch of coast known for its expansive sandy beaches |
| Scholars | Potters Bar Town | In reference of the original name of Mount Grace Old Scholars |
| School of Science | Everton | 1928, comment of Everton's attractive style of play with the team being called 'scientific' or 'the school of science' |
| Seagulls | Brighton & Hove Albion | Based on coast, also a response to the similar-sounding nickname 'Eagles' of their rivals Crystal Palace |
| Seals | Chester City | Old ground named Sealand Road |
| Seasiders | Blackpool | Based on coast |
| Shakers | Bury | Club's first chairman, JT Ingham, said before a Lancashire Cup game with Blackburn, "We will shake them. In fact, we are the Shakers." |
| Shaymen | Halifax Town | Originates from the club's ground, same nickname as its predecessor club |
| Shots | Aldershot Town | Short version of name |
| Shrews | Shrewsbury Town | Short version of name |
| Shrimps | Morecambe | Related to the fishing/shrimping industry in the region and Morecambe Bay's famous "potted shrimps" |
| Shrimpers | Southend United | A historic local industry; alliterative |
| Shopmates | Raunds Town | A reference to the local boot and shoe industry, which was largely workshop-based. |
| Silkmen | Macclesfield Town | Local links to the silk industry |
| Sky Blues | Coventry City | Colour of home strip |
| Sky Blues | Manchester City | Colour of home strip |
| Smoggies | Middlesbrough | From the industrial pollution, or smog, from the steel and chemical plants surrounding the town |
| Spireites | Chesterfield | Reference to famous crooked spire in the town |
| Spitfires | Eastleigh | The first test flight of the Supermarine Spitfire was at the airport in Eastleigh |
| Sports | Eastbourne Borough | Due to team's previous name of Langney Sports F.C. |
| Spurs | Tottenham Hotspur | Based on the spurs that the fighting cockerel wears on its leg, of which comes from Harry Hotspur's fighting cockerels in Shakespeare's Henry IV Part1 |
| Spartans | Blyth Spartans | |
| Stags | Mansfield Town | Stag head on their crest |
| Stones | Maidstone United | Based on the club's name |
| Stones | Wealdstone F.C. | Based on the club's name |
| Stripes | Stevenage Borough | Based on the pattern of the home strip |
| Swans | Swansea City | Based on abbreviation of city name |
| Super Hoops | Queens Park Rangers | Based on the pattern of the home strip |
| Superwhites | Tranmere Rovers | Colour of their home strip |
| Tanners | Leatherhead | |
| Tangerines | Blackpool | Colour of their home kit |
| Tarn | Barnsley | 'Town' spoken in the local accent. |
| Terras | Weymouth | Club plays in a terracota coloured kit |
| Terriers | Huddersfield Town | Named after the Yorkshire Terrier breed of dog - based on a vote of their supporters to create a nickname |
| Teyn | Northampton Town | Town said in a Northampton accent |
| The Throstles | West Bromwich Albion | Based on the large number of Song Thrushes near the ground. |
| Tigers | Gloucester City | Colours of home strip |
| Tigers | Hull City | Colours of home strip |
| Tivvy | Tiverton Town | Based on club's name |
| Toffees / Toffeemen | Everton | The origin of the Toffee nickname dates back almost to the formation of the club. Ye Ancient Everton Toffee House was a sweet shop owned by Old Ma Bushell, who created Everton Toffee. The toffee was sold to the fans. The team was called 'Toffees' or 'Toffeemen'. |
| Toon | Newcastle United | Local pronunciation of 'Town', meaning City Centre where the ground is situated |
| Towners | Enfield Town | To show they belong to the town i.e. Enfield Town |
| Tractor Boys | Ipswich Town | Local links to agriculture |
| Tricky Trees | Nottingham Forest | Crest is a tree |
| Trotters | Bolton Wanderers | In the 19th century, one of their pitches was adjacent to a piggery and clearances often end up in there. Players had to 'trot' through the pig-pens to retrieve the balls. |
| Tudors | Hemel Hempstead Town | Their logo contains an image of King Henry VIII |
| Two Blues | Bishop Auckland | The kit features two shades of blue, originating from the colours of Oxford University and Cambridge University. |
| Tykes | Barnsley F.C. | Colloquial name for a Yorkshireman. |
| Tynesiders | Gateshead | Gateshead is located on Tyneside |
| U's | Cambridge United | Initial of name |
| U's | Colchester United | Initial of name |
| U's | Oxford United | Initial of name |
| U's | Sutton United | Initial of name |
| United | Manchester United | Short version of name |
| United | Sheffield United | Short version of name. Also used to differentiate between the two Sheffield clubs of Wednesday and United. |
| Urchins | A.F.C. Hornchurch | |
| Valiants | Port Vale | Based on official name |
| Vics | Northwich Victoria | Based on shortening of official name |
| Vikings | Doncaster Rovers | Based on the club badge, as well as Rovers being a term for Vikings |
| Vikings | Goole AFC | Based on the town's Viking history. |
| Villans | Aston Villa | Based on official name and for being traditional rivals of Birmingham City |
| Wanderers | Dorking Wanderers | Short name of the club |
| Wednesday | Sheffield Wednesday | Original name of the club |
| Whites | Dover Athletic | Based on the chalk from the White Cliffs of Dover |
| Whites | Fulham | Colour of their home strip. Sometimes referred to as the Lillywhites |
| Whites | Leeds United | Main colour of home strip |
| Whites | Preston North End | |
| Whites | Salisbury | Same nickname as its predecessor club |
| White Tigers | Truro City | |
| Wings | Welling United | Has a horse with wings on the logo |
| Wolves | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Based on shortening of name |
| Wombles | AFC Wimbledon | Reference to the Wombles of Wimbledon |
| Yellows | Cambridge United | Colour of home kit |
| Yellows | Mansfield Town | Colour of home kit |
| Yellows | Sutton United | Colour of home kit |
| Yeltz | Halesowen Town | Origin of the name has been lost track of |
| Yids | Tottenham Hotspur | Based on the high concentration of Jewish fans |
Defunct clubs
Northern Ireland
| Nickname | Club | Reason |
| Bannsiders | Coleraine | River Bann is close by |
| Bhoys | Lurgan Celtic | Named after Celtic F.C. |
| Blues | Linfield | Original kits were blue in colour |
| Candy Stripes | Derry City | Kit colour is red and white stripes |
| Eagles | Armagh City | |
| Gers | Carrick Rangers | Abbreviation of team name |
| Glens | Glentoran | Abbreviation of team name |
| Hatchetmen | Crusaders | |
| Lurgan Blues | Glenavon | Reference to the club's hometown and kit colour |
| Mourneview Aces | Glenavon | Named after Mourneview Park and the nearby estate which shares its name |
| Ports | Portadown F.C. | Abbreviation of team name |
| Red and Blues | Ards | Kit colour is blue and red |
| Reds | Cliftonville | Kit colour is red |
| Seasiders | Bangor | Bangor, County Down, is a sea-fronted town |
| Sky Blues | Ballymena United | Colour of team shirt |
| Stute | Institute | Abbreviation of Institute |
| Wee Hoops | Donegal Celtic | A reference to the Celtic F.C.-style kit |
| Whites | Lisburn Distillery | Kit colour is white |
Scotland
| Nickname | Club | Reason |
| Accies | Hamilton Academical | Short for Academical |
| Arabs | Dundee United | The nickname 'the Arabs', refers to the fans only and NOT the team. |
| Bairns | Falkirk | A Scots word meaning "children". From the ancient motto of the town parish - "Better meddle wi the deil than the Bairns o Falkirk" |
| Bears | Rangers | Shortening of the rhyming slang Teddy Bears. Fans are also known as Bluenoses and The People |
| Bhoys | Celtic | From early promotional material. The 'h' was used to capture the Irish accent of some of the team's original fanbase. |
| Binos | Stirling Albion | Contraction of Albion |
| Black and Whites | Elgin City | Club colours. |
| Blue Brazil | Cowdenbeath | An ironic nickname invented by the clubs own supporters in the early 1990s during a particularly bad run of form which has endured since |
| Blues | Stranraer | Club colours. |
| Blue Toon | Peterhead | The town of Peterhead is nicknamed the Blue Toon. |
| Borderers | Berwick Rangers | The town of Berwick lies on the Anglo-Scottish border |
| Buddies | St Mirren | The club play in Paisley and a person from Paisley is called a Buddie. |
| Bully Wee | Clyde | Small team who would bully bigger teams - wee bullies |
| Caley / Caley Thistle | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | Short version of the name |
| City | Brechin City | |
| City | Edinburgh City | |
| City | Elgin City | |
| Dees | Dundee | |
| Diamonds | Airdrieonians | After the distinctive red 'V', or diamond, on the home kit which was first worn in 1912 |
| Dons | Aberdeen | Stadium lies next to the River Don. |
| Doonhamers | Queen of the South | A term used for people from Dumfries |
| Fifers | East Fife | |
| Gable Endies | Montrose | Wealthy merchants in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries dominated the town and built their houses in a Dutch style, gable to gable. Hence the town and the football have inherited the sobriquet, "gable-enders" |
| Galabankies | Annan Athletic | Home stadium is called Galabank. |
| Gers | Rangers | Abbreviation of the club name 'Rangers'. |
| Harry Wraggs | Partick Thistle | Rhyming slang for Jags. Harry Wragg was a famous jockey in the 1930s |
| Hearts | Heart of Midlothian | Abbreviation of club name. |
| Hedgemen | Brechin City | A hedge runs along one side of Glebe Park. |
| Hibees, Hibs | Hibernian | Abbreviation of the name |
| Honest Men | Ayr United | From a line in Robert Burns' poem 'Tam O' Shanter: 'Auld Ayr, wham ne'er a toun surpasses, for honest men an' bonnie lasses.' |
| Hoops | Celtic | From famous hooped home shirt |
| Jags | Partick Thistle | In colloquial Scottish a 'jag' is the sting of a nettle or thistle. |
| Jambos | Heart of Midlothian | A pun on Jam Tarts, see below. |
| Jam Tarts | Heart of Midlothian | Rhyming slang for Hearts, and from the fact the club badge resembles a jam tart. |
| Killie | Kilmarnock | Short for Kilmarnock. |
| Light Blues | Rangers | Comes from a newspaper description of a 'light and speedy' Rangers team of the 1870s. |
| Lions | Livingston | Club badge has a lion on it. Also known as "Livvie". |
| Loons | Forfar Athletic | Local name for 'lads' which were given to Angus Athletic's 2nd XI, composed largely of younger players who broke off to form Forfar Athletic. |
| Morton | Greenock Morton | Part of the full name |
| Pars | Dunfermline Athletic | It was founded by dockyard workers in Rosyth, which originated from Plymouth Argyle supporters, hence the abbreviation which stands for: Plymouth Argyle Rosyth Supporters. |
| Red Lichties | Arbroath | Owing to the red light that used to guide fishing boats back from the North Sea to the harbour |
| Rovers | Raith Rovers | |
| Saints | St Johnstone | |
| Saints | St Mirren | |
| Shire | East Stirlingshire | |
| Sons | Dumbarton | Shortened form of "Sons of the Rock" a term used for a person from Dumbarton. Their stadium was for many years, directly under Dumbarton Rock |
| Spiders | Queen's Park | The narrow black and white stripes of their kit supposedly resembles a spider's web |
| Staggies | Ross County | The stag seen on the club's crest. *This name refers mainly to supporters. |
| Steelmen | Motherwell | A reference to the steelworks at nearby Ravenscraig |
| Super Js | St Johnstone | A reference to St Johnstone being the only league club in Scottish football with a J in its name |
| Tangerines | Dundee United | Colour of their home kit |
| Teddy Bears | Rangers | Rhyming slang |
| Terrors | Dundee United | Coined in the early 1960s as a tribute to their fighting spirit especially at Tannadice. |
| Tic | Celtic | Short version of the name |
| Tims | Celtic | Allegedly originates with the "Tim Malloys", a 1900s Irish Catholic street gang from Calton, Glasgow. Used to refer to both the club itself and to its supporters. |
| Ton | Greenock Morton | Short version of the name |
| Warriors | Stenhousemuir | - |
| Wasps | Alloa Athletic | Their traditional home strip is black and yellow |
| Waysiders | Airdrieonians | The Town of Airdries name may be taken from the Gaelic word “Àirigh” meaning a sheiling or wayside town. “The Waysiders” was the club nickname until the 1950s when the “Diamonds” became more popular |
| Wee Gers | Berwick Rangers | To differentiate between their Rangers and other bigger clubs called Rangers in Scotland. |
| Wee Rovers | Albion Rovers | A self acknowledgement of the clubs status as one of the smaller clubs in the Scottish league. In use since the 1920s |
| Well | Motherwell | Short version of the name |
Wales
| Nickname | Club | Reason |
| Ancients | Cefn Druids | A reference to the druids who were prevalent around 2000 years ago |
| Bluebirds | Cardiff City | Colour of home football kit and possibly named after 1909 children's play 'Blue Bird' Haverfordwest County A.F.C. known also as Bluebirds possibly colour of shirts |
| Blues | Cardiff City | Colour of home football kit |
| Canaries | Caernarfon Town F.C. | Due its yellow and green strip, a nickname that dates from 1895. |
| Citizens | Bangor City | The name of the club and Bangor's city status |
| Exiles | Newport County | Club were forced to play several seasons in Gloucestershire by the FAW |
| Ironsides | Newport County | Association with steelworks and other heavy industries |
| Jacks | Swansea City | Seamen from the town formerly referred to as 'Swansea Jacks', also after the dog Swansea Jack |
| Lakesiders | Bala Town | The town, and the team's home ground Maes Tegid, are located on the banks of a lake, Llyn Tegid |
| Lilywhites | Rhyl F.C. | The colour of their home football kit |
| Linnets | Barry Town | Named after the bird, based on the club's initial green and red coloured strips |
| Magpies | Barmouth & Dyffryn United | The colour of their home football kit |
| Martyrs | Merthyr Town F.C. | Merthyr means "martyr" in Welsh, the town's full name is derived from Tydfil, a martyred Welsh Princess |
| Musselmen | Conwy United F.C. | From the local mussel industry |
| Red Dragons | Wrexham | Featured on logo |
| Robins | Wrexham | Colour of home kit same as a robin's chest |
| Seasiders | Prestatyn Town F.C. | The location of the town in the coast |
| Steelmen | Port Talbot Town | Port Talbot is home to one of the largest steelworks on the continent |
| Swans | Swansea City | Short version of the name |
| Wingmakers | Airbus UK Broughton | Refers to being the works team of the Airbus UK factory |