Nickname?

[Paul]

I would also add that I'm not forgetting the point that many clubs have nicknames that differ from the nickname of their fans. For instance, Real Madrid is Los Blancos and the fans are Madridistas. Someone else made the point previously that Liverpool is the Reds and their fans are scousers (but Everton fans are also scousers, right?). So, there's also that point to consider.

I don't think we, as the supporters and heartbeat of this club, should allow someone else (be it the club's management, journalists, etc.) to establish our nickname(s). We should do that ourselves.

As for the fans nickname, I assume we want it to be different than Third Railers so that we have a distinction there for the supporters club?

 

[Falastur]

There's certainly a record of teams using bird names, but those four examples listed all have good reasons for their use: Norwich and Palace both have the birds in question in their badge, Swansea have the bird in the city's own name, and Newcastle are called the magpies because of their black and white kit.

 

[einwindir]

Ok, so it's just "City" (like many NYers on the forum have stated, that's just what everyone calls NYC and have for YEARS and YEARS) and that's fine for a shortened version of the club's name. But how about a nickname for the club/fans along the lines of:

Real Madrid = Los Blancos, Bayern Munich = Die Bayern (The Bavarians), Juventus = the Old Lady, PSG = Les Parisiens (The Parisians), Manchester United = the Red Devils, Arsenal = the Gunners, Manchester City = the Citizens, Tottenham Hotspur = the Spurs, West Ham United = the Hammers, etc.

So far people have suggested: the Tokens, the Bluebirds, the Blues, the Blue ______ [insert anything here], the Amsterdamned, the Mankees, The [New] Yorkers, the Insomniacs, the Pentagons, the Yanks, the Concrete Citizens. I'm sure I have missed one or two (I've included as many as I could think of, even the ones that were suggested in a joking manner), so if I missed your favorite suggestion please reply so it's included. I don't mean to exclude any here, just trying to get a roundup of the suggested nicknames.

I just thought of another one as I was writing this post: the Emperors (as in the Empire State and the Evil Empire which seems to be how we are perceived by other teams/fans). Also, the Straphangers name has been offered by someone as an offshoot to the Third Rail (I cannot remember the precise suggestion, maybe a casual group of Third Railers?), but I think the Straphangers is such a good name that it could be used as the club's nickname.

There are a few that I think are pretty legitimate, including (but not limited to) the Tokens (for the subway token/NYCFC badge), the Straphangers, the Blues (although that is Chelsea's nickname, I still think it works because we are in MLS, not the EPL) and the Bluebirds (for the New York State bird: the Eastern Bluebird). Also, there is quite a lot of precedent for using birds: Newcastle United = the Magpies, Norwich City = the Canaries, Crystal Palace = the Eagles, Swansea City = the Swans. Many others that I wasn't able to think of as well, I'm sure.

Straphangers is still active! Since the group is mostly a way to secure a section of seats there isn't really much else to talk about. We just wanted to gauge interest and establish ourselves.

I'm just not sure about a "nickname" though. If ten years from now a name was developed then that's different. Anything that comes up now would come off as contrived. Blues or City would be the only thing that wouldn't be forced. City, for the reasons you already explained. Blue, because that's our color.

Or we can force GOTHAM. Which I still wish could've been used as a Supporters Group name. Talk about a missed opportunity.

 

[Falastur]

Someone else made the point previously that Liverpool is the Reds and their fans are scousers (but Everton fans are also scousers, right?).

The "Scouser" nickname isn't really used particularly for their fans as it is more of a geographical term, and a number of clubs play in Liverpool, making it hard to determine who exactly you are referring to. It's mainly used by fans from other areas as a geographical stereotype. The name comes from the Scouse accent, the nasal-y accent native to the Merseyside/Greater Liverpool area.

 

[einwindir]

I would also add that I'm not forgetting the point that many clubs have nicknames that differ from the nickname of their fans. For instance, Real Madrid is Los Blancos and the fans are Madridistas. Someone else made the point previously that Liverpool is the Reds and their fans are scousers (but Everton fans are also scousers, right?). So, there's also that point to consider.

I don't think we, as the supporters and heartbeat of this club, should allow someone else (be it the club's management, journalists, etc.) to establish our nickname(s). We should do that ourselves.

As for the fans nickname, I assume we want it to be different than Third Railers so that we have a distinction there for the supporters club?

I thought 'scouse' was a derogatory term like 'chav' which is akin to dregs or bottom feeders. But the Liverpool fans embrace the name in a self-deprecating way.

 

[Paul]

There's certainly a record of teams using bird names, but those four examples listed all have good reasons for their use: Norwich and Palace both have the birds in question in their badge, Swansea have the bird in the city's own name, and Newcastle are called the magpies because of their black and white kit.

True, we do not have the bird in our badge. But like Newcastle, we will likely have the light blue and orange colors (that the Eastern Bluebird shares) in our kits.

 

[Falastur]

True, we do not have the bird in our badge. But like Newcastle, we will likely have the light blue and orange colors (that the Eastern Bluebird shares) in our kits.

Fair play then. I wasn't so much trying to discourage you, just provide clarity.

 

[einwindir]

If Bluebird catches on...I want to see a banner with a Bluebird shitting on a Red Bull.

 

[BxLio91]

I like the Blues. Clean and simple.

 

[Buckley]

i like the bluebirds

 

[MrE]

My guess it's going to be City. I don't think anyone will confused it with Man City. We're in NYC damn it!

Maybe in about 100 years your prophecy will come to fruition

 

[MrE]

Straphangers is still active! Since the group is mostly a way to secure a section of seats there isn't really much else to talk about. We just wanted to gauge interest and establish ourselves.

I'm just not sure about a "nickname" though. If ten years from now a name was developed then that's different. Anything that comes up now would come off as contrived. Blues or City would be the only thing that wouldn't be forced. City, for the reasons you already explained. Blue, because that's our color.

Or we can force GOTHAM. Which I still wish could've been used as a Supporters Group name. Talk about a missed opportunity.

I have seen Gotham mentioned often, is there a New York connotation or is it purely Batman ?

 

[Paul]

I have seen Gotham mentioned often, is there a New York connotation or is it purely Batman ?

This is an interesting read from the NY Public Library regarding the Gotham name:

http://www.nypl.org/blog/2011/01/25/so-why-do-we-call-it-gotham-anyway

 

[einwindir]

I have seen Gotham mentioned often, is there a New York connotation or is it purely Batman ?

Gotham is a name used for NYC that stretches back to Victorian times. We've even got a paper called 'The Gothamist'.

 

[einwindir]

Maybe in about 100 years your prophecy will come to fruition

In England yes. In the US - I've got bad news for you -- NYC is much more popular than Manchester. As a matter of fact, outside of soccer, the only city in England that people know are London and maybe Liverpool (because of the Beatles).

 

[Falastur]

Let's not start this one again, eh?

 

[Drainyoo]

Maybe in about 100 years your prophecy will come to fruition

Not in NYC. I've never heard a single person here refer to Man City as just "City", unless you're from England living here, or you're really really into the EPL. I've only heard Manchester City. Most people here don't know who Man City is, let alone "City". Even casual soccer fans won't know.

 

[MrE]

Edit

 

[MrE]

Not in NYC. I've never heard a single person here refer to Man City as just "City", unless you're from England living here, or you're really really into the EPL. I've only heard Manchester City. Most people here don't know who Man City is, let alone "City". Even casual soccer fans won't know.

Tongue in cheek, battoning down the hatches, running away now...................................................

Not only has our team got more history than yours, so has our city. We were leading the Industrial Revolution when New York was little more than a few teepees.

 

[BxLio91]

City banter eh?