Why are palace fans called nigels

Originally posted by ebyeeckeagle Steve Davis as in the snooker player? Originally posted by macstar i used to know 2 'Nigels' at school.

Another Steve thread. It's a Millwall expression, copied by some Brighton and Charlton later on - this is understandable perhaps, what I cannot work out is why people like 'Matty the Eagle' and 'C-Block-Lad' and other Palace Fans that have also adopted the term and are using it against our own fans? Perhaps they think it makes them look hard?

To be fair, Benn would probably say "hello? Maybe they're reclaiming the word? Like 'nigga', 'queer' or 'pair of tosspots'. Right on. Originally posted by stevek That's still true :cool: Agreed. I like us being called Nigels because it seems to say that Millwall and Charlton are acknowledging the fact that not only are we the bigger club but also our fan base tends to be better educated and earn more than them.

I guess we employ Millwall and Charlton fans and they know it. Although I must admit I dont really buy into this image of Millwall being the barbarians they claim to be. Oh dont get me wrong they collectively act like a bunch of thugs and no doubt feel they have come off best in the various altecations at games due to sheer bravado but I reckon that if it came down to a one-on-one straightner between the average Palace fan and one of those sub-humans then brains would win over brawn every time.

Its all very well thinking you are some sort of brawler after 5 or 6 of you have kicked seven bells out of some poor sod who did not want to know in the first place but it takes more courage to look at somebody in the eyes who is willing to retaliate. Who the hell are Scott and Steve? British Airways pilots are always known as Nigels by the rest of the biz.

I have no idea why. Witness Wilfried Zaha miskicking a terrible cross from the right hand side: seconds later the fans are singing his name loud and clear. Crystal Palace fans cheer on their team during the game with Arsenal at the weekend. Wilfried Zaha was cheered by the Palace faithful despite making a poor cross. Damien Delaney scored an own goal - but was backed by the Selhurst Park fans on Sunday.

Damian Delaney pokes Arsenal's winner into his own net, and what do you know? The Palace fans instantly launch into a song declaring their love for the unfortunate centre-half. If you're a believer in fans getting behind their players, then Palace fans are among the best. There is a danger that those players might just slip into the comfort zone, whether they're good or average or terrible they know the fans will still love them. But it's got to be better than what has happened at my club Peterborough this season: our most gifted player is former Newcastle United trainee Marcus Maddison.

After he was injured last season, the Posh promotion push fell apart. A section of the fans have made booing Maddison their priority this season: he rolls around on the floor a bit for sure — but then he is regularly kicked to bits because opponents struggle to get the ball off him. Mesut Ozil put in a poor cross that was turned in by Olivier Giroud and the fans showed their love for him. He gives the ball away sometimes, but that's because he tries to be creative, tries to do the difficult things, and it doesn't always come off.

Those fans have booed him, but he answered them in fine style with a goal in midweek and two goals on Saturday. Incredibly the manager, Dave Robertson, was about to substitute him before he scored the goals just past the half hour mark.

A rookie boss listening to the fans' negativity rather than leaving a match-winner on the pitch shows just how much influence fans can have. Arsenal fans' undying love for Mesut Ozil is admirable. His terrible cross on Sunday fell behind Olivier Giroud but the French striker turned it into a goal with wonderful agility and a magnificent finish. But somehow it became an Ozil assist, and licence for Arsene Wenger and the fans to start exaggerating about Ozil's impact on the game.

It's been the pattern of the past two years for Ozil to be talked up beyond his performances. He has world-class talent for sure, but this season he has to show that quality more regularly, have an impact in all the big games, and work harder for the team — check out how he trotted back after losing the ball last Sunday in defeat against West Ham.

Thierry Henry left and John Terry were loved by their fans regardless of what mistakes they made. Fans turn a blind eye to the shortcomings of their players when they feel like it.

In Arsenal's case, criticism of Ozil has led Gooners to protect him with a siege mentality — he can do no wrong. Someone like Per Mertesacker loves to have a laugh and connects with fans, so he gets away with regularly under-performing. Laurent Koscielney has twice turned his back on shots that have hit the net this season. Yet more big club bias. I mean a stupid amount. How many different types of hats and caps do you think it is reasonable for the online store of a middling Premier League club to sell?

Well swivel on this one, because Crystal Palace sell 34 different designs of hat and cap. Seventeen varieties of scarf, 14 bag designs and six wallets. Who on earth made these decisions? Are the children of south London obsessed with accessorising? These are not the only oddities, you understand. Still he does have a belting Wikipedia photo. Worst celebrity fan — Nigel Farage And with that, an entire club was burned to the ground before our very eyes.