The term Barra’ soccer

[Wintergreen]

If I was visiting Barrow for the first time I would assume the Soccer Bar was connected to the club. I find it strange it isn’t. Am I right in thinking, originally there was a Supporters Club under the old wooden Grandstand, and there was a fall out, and the Supporters moved out and set their own club up, which now has no connection with the club whatsoever, and is based adjacent to the club’s old training ground.

Correct, there was a supporters bar under the old main grandstand. Yes, there was a fallout which led to a breakaway club being formed-now the Soccer bar. What the fallout was about I cannot say on here but there was bad blood for a lot of years between the two camps especially in the early days of non league where Barra Soccer were seen as a joke. Thankfully today there is harmony due to the march of time.

Yet another of our many idiosyncrasies. Also probably the only club to be voted in and out of the football league.

[MisterPleasant]

I've lived and worked in quite a few parts of the country and nowhere is 'soccer' in common parlance except around Barrow. I get very agitated when TV presenters refer to football "...or soccer as they call it in America..." in a somewhat condescending manner. The current Mrs P has to calm me down, "Yes," she says in resigned fashion, "I know it's called soccer in Barrow".

[bluessupporter]

The current Mrs P has to calm me down, "Yes," she says in resigned fashion, "I know it's called soccer in Barrow".

Oh oh - get your tin hat on!

[Walneyshrimp]

I wonder if Keith Eddy is responsible for the use of the term "soccer" in the USA? He grew up on Walney in the 50's (as I did) and it would have been part of his vocabulary. He later played for New York Cosmos, and perhaps he referred to the beautiful game as "soccer" and it caught on.

[bluessupporter]

I wonder if Keith Eddy is responsible for the use of the term "soccer" in the USA? He grew up on Walney in the 50's (as I did) and it would have been part of his vocabulary. He later played for New York Cosmos, and perhaps he referred to the beautiful game as "soccer" and it caught on.

Think it goes back a bit further than that!

Americans call it "soccer" because the word was originally invented and used by the British as slang for "association football". In the late 19th century, this distinguished the sport from "rugby football" (nicknamed "rugger"). Americans adopted "soccer" to avoid confusion with their own uniquely popular version of the game, American football

[Walneyshrimp]

Aah, I'm just an old romantic

[Bigfathoss]

I never say 'the soccer'. I only refer to it as 'the footy'. Or, for last season, 'that pack of [SwearFilter]'.

[Hadrian]

Barrow Soccer/The Soccer - oh, yes.

As has been said, always 'The Soccer' and 'The Rugby' growing up. Guess the former term died away to a certain extent alongside interest and attendances here through the 70s but it remained in common use nationally into the 80s and post-2000 in Wales. Did it perhaps slip away as a reaction to the growth of football in the US and the different accent, emphasis and pronunciation? For some, use of 'soccer' became met with derision. A recent Twitter thread (yes 'X', I know, but not I'm not humouring Musk) is interesting to read through if you are not 'right on' enough to have turned your back on our least favourite megalomaniac. (Maybe second favourite, I overlooked El Presidente Naranja.)

'Soccer' still in widespread use in Australia ('The Socceroos', great name) , Canada and and South Africa, perhaps elsewhere.

[McMark]

Americans officially adopted the term Soccurr in 1945. It was just after the war, The United States Soccurr Football Association was so named. Now The United States Soccurr Federation.

[Sonofsam]

Was the bar under the stand called the blackbird

[theotherbarrow]

Was the bar under the stand called the blackbird

The bar under the stand was the Bluebird, the Soccer Bar was the Blackbird.

[Wintergreen]

Shirley the Bluebird was located on the south east corner of the ground on the site currently operating as a car body shop? And l think the bar under the main stand was known as the players lounge?