Football in London

This article is dedicated to all the “futboler@s” kids of the Salvat Papasseit.

Football is the most popular sport in London.

For the 2013-2014 season there are 6 London clubs in the Premier League (wow! 6 teams in the Premier, in Barcelona we have just 2 clubs in “Primera División”).

Here is the list:

 

CLUB

NICKNAME

STADIUM

CAPACITY

FOUNDED

MANAGER

Arsenal Gunners Emirates Stadium

60.360

1886

Arsene Wenger
Chelsea F C Blues Stanford Bridge

42.450

1905

Jose Mourinho
Crystal Palace F C Eagles Selhurst Park

26.300

1905

Tony Pulis
Fulham Cottagers Craven Cottage

25.700

1879

Felix Magath
Tottenham Hotspur Spurs White Hart Lane

36.230

1882

Tim Sherwood
West Ham United Hammers Boleyn Ground

34.300

1895

Sam Allardyce

 

There are some good Spanish players in these clubs:

Santi Cazorla, Mikel Arteta, Nacho Monreal, Jon Toral and Héctor Bellerin play for Arsenal.

Fernando Torres and César Azpilicueta play for Chelsea.

Roberto Soldado plays for Tottenham.

Adrián plays for West Ham United; he is the goalkeeper (or goalie).

Most clubs’ nicknames come from when the club was originally founded.

v  For example, in 1886 workers at Woolwich Arsenal Armament Factory decided to form a football club. Today Arsenal keeps the name associated with that origin: Gunners, and a cannon in his badge.

v  The Thames Ironworks Football Club, founded in 1895 for metal workers, became over time West Ham United. His badge shows one of those men’s tools: two crossed hammers, and the club has been known as the Hammers ever since.

v  Fulham’s nickname (“Cottagers”) comes from the famous cottage which is an iconic part of Fulham’s Craven Cottage ground.

And finally, my question:

Do you know why followers of Barça and Espanyol are called “culés” (or “culers”) and “periquitos”?

Vocabulary

Goalkeeper: his duty is to prevent the ball from entering in the goal.

Gunner: in the British Army, an artilleryman (in Spanish: artillero)

Badge: a distinguishing emblem or mark worn to signify membership, employment, achievement, etc (in Catalan: escut)

Tool: in Catalan: eina

Hammer: a hand tool consisting of a heavy usually steel head held transversely on the end of a    handle, used for driving in nails, beating metal, etc. (in Catalan: martell)

Cottage: small simple house, especially in a rural area.

 

arsenalchelseaWest Hamcristal palacetottenhamfulham

23 thoughts on “Football in London

  1. melania

    hello Pili How are you?

    Are you happy in London?

    Do you miss Santa Coloma?
    What’s the biggest difference between London and Santa Coloma?
    See you soon!

  2. pili.lo Post author

    Hello Melania! I’m fine, very happy to be here! I think the biggest difference between London and Sta Coloma is that London is full of huge parks where you can step on the grass, beautiful trees and flowers, and you can see green everywhere. I miss Sta Coloma’s people. See you soon!

  3. pili.lo Post author

    Hello Lucia! My football team in Barcelona is Barça, although this season they are not working very well! In London I like Arsenal… I will see you soon! Kisses!

  4. pili.lo Post author

    Hello Salwa! Don’t worry, it’s a difficult question! Take care!
    Kisses!

  5. helene

    The class love football . Pili sorry,i’m no time write you.Thank you for football article,i’ts very cool.The cuestion is very dificult. BYE PILI. **

  6. pili.lo Post author

    Hi Helene! Thank you very much for your answer! I know the question was very difficult! Kisses!

  7. pili.lo Post author

    Hello Jessica! Ha! Ha! Yes, the question was difficult, thanks for trying!

  8. Carlos

    Sorry Pili for not write you but I know the question.
    Why the followers of español call them ‘periquitos’, because in the place where their old stadium were build there were lots of ‘periquitos’.And why the followers of Barcelona call them ‘culés’, because the old stadium of barcelona,when the people sit down in their chairs it looked their ‘culo’.

    good bye Pili : )

  9. ainhoa.gamez

    Hi Pili am Ainhoa, I have the answer for your question.
    for Barcelona:
    between 1909 and 1922, Barcelona played their home games at the stadium in Industry Street, this stadium was only six thousand seats, so in big games most of the fans had to sit on the wall surrounding the stadium, so from the street they could see the ass, providing big laughs to passersby, who began to call on “culers” who took his “r” and “cules”.
    Espanyol for:
    For where the stadium is built Sarria had many parakeets and once built the countryside around there were still many trees full of birds. Hence the nickname “parakeets” or “Pericos”.
    Hope you’re having a great time in London, and that I love you, you’ve been part of my life for many years and I wish that one day return to Barcelona forever.

  10. pili.lo Post author

    Dear Carlos! thank you very much for your answer. “Culo” in English is called “bottom”, “ass”, “arse”… Ha! Ha! See you soon!

  11. pili.lo Post author

    Hello Ainhoa! Thanks for your answer, I think it’s right! I appreciate very much your sweet words about me! I miss you!

  12. charlotte 5è

    hello pili
    how are you?
    I like going for london? hope good.
    when you coming to school?
    owed a big kiss

  13. Charlotte 5é

    Pili hello how are you? that team? Are you happy in London? I’m sure you do. A giant kiss goodbye

  14. David Navarro

    Hello Pili I’m David Navarro
    Pili sorry not to have commented,I
    was very busy with exams.
    My question is:
    For you who is the best English player?

  15. pili.lo Post author

    Hello Charlotte! Thanks for your participation! I’m well but I miss you all! See you soon!

  16. pili.lo Post author

    Hello David, I know you are a good student so I can imagine you are studying hard every day. I like Steven Gerrard, he has played all his life for Liverpool FC and he reminds me Xavi Hernandez, because he has spent his entire career at Anfield. He captains the English National team as well. See you soon!

  17. pili.lo Post author

    Hi Helene! Don’t worry about the answer, your classmates have already answered it… See you!

  18. pili.lo Post author

    Hello Saray! You are the first writter this year, congratulations! See you soon

Deixa un comentari

L'adreça electrònica no es publicarà Els camps necessaris estan marcats amb *