What’s in a surname ? A bit of fun.

Surnames of footballers are a lot different to the days when Barnsley always seemed to have an Awkwright and Newcastle a Milburn in their sides. Today’s influx of foreign-born players have certainly spiced up the team sheets with Southampton being no exception.

While putting the www.saintsplayers.co.uk website together, I noted that Saints did not have a Smith – evidently the most common surname in England – on their books between George Smith leaving the club in 1949 and Paul Smith arriving in 2004. However, since 1938 Saints have had no less than seven players called Williams to make a first team appearance and yet only four Joneses (Ken 1965-70), (Ernie 1949-52), (Paul 1997-2004) and (Kenwyne 2004-08).

Who would ever had thought during the 2006-07 any commentator would ever be able to describe the beginning of a Saints attack thus – “and Pele slides a through ball for Best (Leon 2004-07) to run onto”. But come to that was Pele his real surname or even his real name?

Then warming to my task, I couldn’t help noticing how well Yuletide is represented in the ranks of Southampton FC surnames, for not only do we have an Angell (James William 1906-07), but also a Saul (Frank 1967-70), a Gabriel (James 1967-72) and – wait for it – even a Christmas (Edwin Cecil Russell 1911-12). All we need to do now is to sign a Jesus from a Spanish club and we would be well set up for our own club nativity play! No prizes which role Dennis Wise would get. And there would have to be a place for a Cribb (Stanley 1924-30).

The shortest surname on a playing contract consists of just three letters – we had two Frys (CB 1900-03 and Roger 1970-72) while who could forget Aly Dia (1996-97). We have also had four Lees (Bert 1900-06, 1911-15, Sammy 1989-90, David 1991-93 and Tadanari 2011-) and a couple of Days (Alfred 1937-38 and Eric (1946-57). I also should not forget Walter Cox (1894-96) or Harry Eke (1913-14).

Longest surname has to be Phillipson-Masters (Forbes 1976-78) and Oxlade-Chamberlain (Alex 2010-12), with Wrigglesworth (William 1947-48) the longest non double-barrelled  surname, but Andruszewski (Manny 1974-80), Danny Higginbotham and Morgan Schneiderlin should get honorary mentions. Two countries have been named after Saints’ players, Ireland (Sidney 1911-15) and Jordan (Joe 1984-87 and Frank 1908-10) and, so far just one planet, Moon (Charles 1909-10).

One English county is represented – Ollie Lancashire (Ollie 2008-10) and also one famous film studio Hollywood (Denis 1962-72) with two obvious film stars Van Damme (Jelle 2004-05), and left, Costello (Fred 1907-09), while back in this country, a famous fashionable London Street, Carnaby (Tom 1938-39).

Saints’ players have always been well connected. We have had two Earl(s) (Mick 1973-75 and Pat 1974-77) a couple of Kings (Bill 1934-39 and Ernest 1925-27), a Bishop (Alfred 1926-27), a Knight (Bill 1911-13), two Monks (Gary 1998 – 2003 and Frank 1910-12), a Dean (Norman 1963-66), a Deacon (Charlie 1887-92) and even a Prince (Percy 1908-20).

From the animal kingdom we employed a Woolf (Levi 1937-38), a Gibbon (Tom 1915-16), a Hogg (John 1905-07), a Hare (Tommy 1965-66) a Bullock (James 1924-28), a Venison (Barry 1995-97) and a Fox (Danny 2011-14), while feathered players include Fred Bird (1907-08), Phil Kite (1984-86), Ted Drake (1931-34), Francis Chick (1900-01), and Glenn Cockerill (1985-94).

And from the fish world, we must not forget Pike (Ernest 1902-03), a Salmon (Bert 1897-98), a Whiting (William 1901-05) or a Crabb (William 1899-1900).

We’ve even had a religious newspaper in Christian Dailly (2007-08)

Finally during the 2018-19 season we mustn’t forget during goal kicks we had a Gunn (Angus) aiming for a Targett (Matt).

Don’t you just Lovett (Graham 1971-72)?

Alex Oxlade-Camberlain celebrates beating Morgan Schneiderlin