this post was submitted on 06 Apr 2025
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Soccer was a widespread term for it among all classes up until the mid-late 1970s, with books, magazines, newspaper columns, and so on using the term interchangeably with football. There appears to have been a switch to actively hating on the term, and it coincides with the rise of the hooligan in the 60s and 70s, and general xenophobia as demonstrated by the rise of the far right. It is at this point that “soccer” becomes a filthy American term among a certain type of “fan”.
So you're saying that because the printing press in the 50's used the term interchangeably, his claim that poor people always called it football is wrong?
Doesn't it sound likely that the upper class just... Owned more magazine companies maybe?
As the close relative of a football journalist, I spent my early life surrounded by historical books, journals, fanzines and programmes from around 1900 to the 2000s. Strikingly, pre-1970s, soccer and football were wholly interchangeable in every social grouping, every purpose, every outlet. Dockers down the pub would talk about footy, football, or soccer as if it meant the same thing. It is only with the xenophobia of the 70s that it became an “American” word and a naughty thing to say in certain company.
Would be lovely if you have some source or something to read about.
Consider my interest piqued. I gave the Wikipedia page a skim and it seems like a good starting point
Found a PDF of a 2014 study by Stefan Szymanski at the University of Michigan. Compares Soccer/Football use in The Times, NY Times, British football bibliography, Guardian, Independent and Time Magazine.
That's why UK clubs called Liverpool F.C, Manchester United F.C. ,Chelsea F.C, Fulham F.C. and so on? F.C. Inter in Italy, Real Madrid F.C., FC Barcelona in Spain and so on?
I don’t really get your point. You’re expecting a nickname to make it to the club’s formal name?
A nickname? You just said it was a widespread term for football. The other person is asking you why, if it was so widespread, almost every single professional club throughout Europe went with football instead.
Yes, a widespread nickname…
Soccer is short for Association Football. If you really want to fixate on club names for some reason, you can take in Wrexham AFC, AFC Bournemouth, AFC Wimbledon, Barrow AFC, but I don’t see the relevance myself.
AFC stands for Association Football Club lol