Asked by a reader for less famous examples (ie. other than St. Entienne or the Kaiser Chiefs) of bands with football-inspired names, the Guardian’s James Dart has a couple of good ones.
There’s Sham 69, who were named after a piece of graffiti on a wall celebrating Walton & Hersham’s successful 1969 season. Part of the wall having disappeared, the band adopted what was left.
Also doing the rounds as a band name is one Mr Cruyff, not only the inspiration for Dutch outfit Johan, but also, according to Andrew Gardner, a local band in the northern Japanese city of Yamagata: The Cruyff Turn. Posters for the Leeds festival in 2001 had a ‘Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’ on the bottom of the bill, though whether or not this was an in-joke by promoters we’re not sure.
I’m saddened to admit that Hull’s Salako came up in conversation the other day. But at least it was a short conversation.
