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Obsolete footballing phrases


Major Isewater

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1 hour ago, pongo88 said:

There are several suggestions as to the origin of this expression, but I prefer the football related one - i.e.

The phrase originates from the days when football was listened to a lot on the radio. To help the listener picture the scene, the pitch was divided up into a grid of imaginary squares, square one being around the goalmouth. Thus, whenever the ball went out of play for a goal kick, or someone made a boring pass-back (of the type no longer allowed), the commentator would groan: "Back to square one"

Not imaginary squares. The Radio Times printed a helpful pitch map showing the location of each square. Still a great example of innovative thinking.

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2 hours ago, pongo88 said:

There are several suggestions as to the origin of this expression, but I prefer the football related one - i.e.

The phrase originates from the days when football was listened to a lot on the radio. To help the listener picture the scene, the pitch was divided up into a grid of imaginary squares, square one being around the goalmouth. Thus, whenever the ball went out of play for a goal kick, or someone made a boring pass-back (of the type no longer allowed), the commentator would groan: "Back to square one"

There was a theory that it came from the First World War where the maps were divided into squares and if your troops were pushed back to your lines after gaining some ground they had gone back to square one.

I prefer the radio idea though.

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4 hours ago, Septic Peg said:

"They think it's all over... it is now."

One of the greatest football phrases of all time. 

You missed the important bits "There's some people on the pitch" and where you have the dots should be be whack  or thump followed by the cheers.

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9 hours ago, WhistleHappy said:

Standard Shirt Numbers.... 1 to 11 +one sub no 12 

... club squad numbers are ok, but match day shirt numbers should reflect 'starting eleven' and positions plus subs.

Call me old fashioned.

allright then you're old fashioned.

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The magic sponge. The "medical" kit of physios just used to consist of a bucket of water and a sponge. (Physios were tough in the past - e g Buster Footman wearing only tracksuit bottoms and a short sleeve tee shirt in the middle of winter

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1 hour ago, AppyDAZE said:

I think so, but i only remember the green 'un  and those A B C D E half time score thingies

The Green Un  used to reach the shops just after 6.00 pm on a Saturday evening. Apart from the scores which were read on the radio / TV just after 5.00, there was no other source of news as to what had had happened.  The reporter at the game had to telephone his first half summary at half time and the second half summary at full time. As there was very little time after the match to set up the print for the second half report (remember this was old fashioned hot metal printing) the result was a match report of great detail for the first half, and next to nothing for the second half - e.g. "John Atyeo equalised with a towering header in the 67th minute"

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Always bought both Pink'un and Green 'un, the Saturday sports papers of the Post and The World.  People waited in newsagents for the van to throw the packages onto the pavement and a keen fan would rush out to pick them up for the shopkeeper. Anyone else remember the incomparable Betty's and Joan's newsagents of Staple Hill Road?

As for Ashton Gate phrases: The Salvation Army band will play again at halftime

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30 minutes ago, pongo88 said:

The Green Un  used to reach the shops just after 6.00 pm on a Saturday evening. Apart from the scores which were read on the radio / TV just after 5.00, there was no other source of news as to what had had happened.  The reporter at the game had to telephone his first half summary at half time and the second half summary at full time. As there was very little time after the match to set up the print for the second half report (remember this was old fashioned hot metal printing) the result was a match report of great detail for the first half, and next to nothing for the second half - e.g. "John Atyeo equalised with a towering header in the 67th minute"

Many years ago travelling away up North on CATS where either the coach didn`t have a radio or if it did it didn`t work. You couldn`t get a portable radio to work on board due to interference from the engine so we had to all pile off at the services to get the Birmingham Pink`Un to get the scores from the other games.

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