A bit o’ footy rabbit: Some notes on football rhyming slang

Abstract The use of rhyming slang in British and Irish football is a relatively recent phenomenon that has sometimes been noted in passing, but never studied in detail. How is this type of lexis created? And, equally important, why do football lovers find it useful? Drawing mainly on examples from print and online sources, this article examines the linguistic features of the specialist rhyming slang of football, how it is coined and what it is that makes it so appropriate for the beautiful game. The final part of the article provides a glossary of terms and nicknames, many of which have hitherto escaped the notice of lexicographers.