The Football Dictionary

A popular British idiom referring to a ball that has been booted far out of play, kicking the ball to Row Z in the stands. This could refer to a defender booting the ball to Row Z instead of finding a pass up field or a poor shot from a striker, completely missing the goal and shanking the ball into the stands.

The Championship (English 2nd tier) Playoff Final is often referred to as ‘the richest game in football’. It is a one-off game at Wembley Stadium between the two semi-final winners, to see who gets the final promotion spot to the following seasons Premier League. The top two teams are automatically promoted, with the following four teams facing each other in two-legged home and away semi-finals, and the winners playing off at Wembley in the final.

That intense feeling, the sound, the colour, the vibes. An electric atmosphere that ripples in and around the stadium in the build-up to a massive game like a semi-final of a European competition, a cup final, or the final day of a league season with something on the line.

Refers to a big match in Europe between two teams from Britain. Classically this would be between one of the Old Firm Scottish giants (Celtic and Rangers) against a traditional big team from England (Liverpool and Manchester United), but it can refer to teams from the same country playing each other in European competition too. There’s familiarity, a big atmosphere from both sets of fans, and even greater bragging rights.

A popular sporting British idiom, it describes a match that is dramatically different in both halves. One team dominates the first half and takes an unassailable lead. After the half time break the opposition fight back and control the second half.

A club that gets promoted to the Premier League, relegated back down to the Championship, and promoted again. Up and down like a yo-yo. In Denmark these teams are called elevatorhold, in the Netherlands they are called a 'to-and-fro club' and in Poland they are called 'roly-poly toy'.

Said by commentators about 10,000 times during matches on the last day of the season. When every team is playing at the same time and the goals are flying in, we're told the table 'As it stands' every time a goal goes in somewhere and the title, promotion, European or playoff places, and relegation matters change multiple times. Drama!

An interim coach is put in temporary charge of a team when a manager or head coach has been sacked, resigned, or left by mutual consent. Sometimes referred to as ‘Caretaker Manager’. If near the start or the middle of the season, an interim coach can be expected to be in charge for 2-3 games until a new manager is found. Later in the season, an interim coach may be put in charge until the end of the season, like Michael Carrick at Manchester United.

Functionally the new champions in all but name, the champions-elect describes a team that is significantly ahead in their league with a points advantage that will be difficult to overcome by competing teams.

When a one-sided match ends in an exceptionally high and unexpected score it is often referred to as resembling the runs scored in a cricket match.