4NCL team names

[Mick Norris]

Richard

Indeed the Manchester Manticores, to give us our full name, have lost every match so far - our best players play for other teams, so no surprise there, but we have struggled to find a full team

The problem, mainly, I think is that the other teams are based on real clubs and have found a team spirit and enthusiasm easier than us - and that we have opposition within the MCF which doesn't want us to succeed, and makes running the team harder than necessary

However, we are having fun, and I thought that was the point

In the Northern league, it would be quite offensive to criticise totally amateur teams like Cheddleton 2, Holmes Chapel, Aigburth, Bradford for being from areas that southerners can't find on a map

In Division 1, maybe it is professional, but surely sponsors can decide what they want the teams to be called?

[John Upham]

I am pleased to note that our team is not geographically or alcoholically based but rather more conceptually.

The concept is of a group of like minded chess players from all over England who come together for an enjoyable weekend of chess courtesy of the wonderful 4NCL.

Sorry to disappoint!

[John Saunders]

No need to start a tedious North v South debate. Some of the southern team names are parochial too. Wood Green is not ideally named (I'm not too sure I could point to its exact location on a map of London - and I live here!).

However, the problem of parochial names (if there is one) is not easily solved. It is perfectly natural and sensible for clubs to want to stick to their established identities. No big deal.

As regards obscure names, it is true some football teams do OK with apparently ludicrous, non-geographical and inappropriate names, e.g. Arsenal (I hope Loz Cooper isn't reading this), but at least there is usually a sound historical reason for their names. But jokey or gimmicky names don't impress. Like all jokes, they become tiresome in the retelling and are left looking like desperate, attention-seeking ego-trips. If club officials cannot take their own teams seriously, why should sponsors?

[John Saunders]

In the Northern league, it would be quite offensive to criticise totally amateur teams like Cheddleton 2, Holmes Chapel, Aigburth, Bradford for being from areas that southerners can't find on a map

In Division 1, maybe it is professional, but surely sponsors can decide what they want the teams to be called?

Southerners might not be too well informed as regards Northern place names but most of us have heard of Bradford.

Most sponsors would probably not bother to approach a team which sounded like it consisted of alcohol-fixated players. On the other hand, they might take the opposite view... I seem to recall a club of which I was a member receiving some limited sponsorship from a brewery for a while. Eventually, of course, we disintegrated into drink-sodden chaos, the club closed down and I was reduced to scratching a living as a chess scribbler. I hope this acts as a salutary warning to Ben and his club colleagues.

[Roger de Coverly]

If club officials cannot take their own teams seriously, why should sponsors?

Perhaps the real question is to ask which 4NCL names are acceptable to journalists and which aren't. Also if the 4NCL were to introduce a naming convention, what should it say? Should all the team names be in English?

[John Upham]

Given an opportunity I would register a team called the Phoenix Knights but maybe that has happened elsewhere in the world?

[LozCooper]

I'm waiting for someone to start complaining that there are no football teams with London in their name

[John Upham]

I'm waiting for someone to start complaining that there are no football teams with London in their name

There are : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Monarchs is one such example!

[Gareth Harley-Yeo]

If club officials cannot take their own teams seriously, why should sponsors?

Also if the 4NCL were to introduce a naming convention, what should it say? Should all the team names be in English?

If so I think the 4NCL should declare itself the ECFL or 1NCL

John,

All of your arguments seem to be concerned about sponsors not being attracted by certain names. Surely it's down to the club/team to decide for themselves if they want to choose a name that might potentially put off a sponsor. As crazy as this might sound to you, there are actually people out there who enjoy the game and would play for free, not needing any form of financial incentive. To mute these players from choosing a name for themselves because it's an inconvenience to you and Leonard when writing articles sounds very condescending to me.

[Eoin Devane]

I'm waiting for someone to start complaining that there are no football teams with London in their name

There are : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Monarchs is one such example!

Not sure that's the type of football Loz meant! Anyway, they don't exist any more.

[PeterTurland]

They call it an elephant's trunk, I call it an 'elephants nose', a nose by any other name would smell as sweetly.

[Mick Norris]

I'm waiting for someone to start complaining that there are no football teams with London in their name

I was about to make that point, but decided not to bother

Of course, Man United don't play in Manchester

[Alex Holowczak]

Of course, Man United don't play in Manchester

That would explain why none(ish) of their fans come from there.

[Gavin Strachan]

does it matter about the names of the teams considering the 4NCL top teams are just really a collection of players paid to play as opposed to an actual club that you can go and visit? Unless there is an actual to club to visit like Guildford or Wood Green, it seems pointless.

[Matt Mackenzie]

Of course, Man United don't play in Manchester

That would explain why none(ish) of their fans come from there.

Biggest myth in football