The Origin of the Term 'Rags'

[bada bing]

RED ARROGANT GOBSHITES

 

[bluealf]

Repeating that doesn’t make it correct, boss.

But quoting it from a guy that has written how many books about City's history surely makes it more likely.

 

[Ardwick Green Blue]

You’ve gone quiet @Ardwick Green Blue.

As a FOC I'd gone to bed :)

I'm sticking by my original post as United were commonly referred to as the Jam Rags in the 80s and Rags later than that. I was born in the 50s so can only state that I'd never heard them called Rags or Jam Rags in the 60s & 70s.

 

[Georgian Maestro]

My grandad who sadly died last year at the age of 101 always referred to them as the rags. His explanation was they couldn't afford their own kit in the 30's (maybe 40's) so had to use our used kits instead. He was the only person I heard call them rags until I came on this forum back in 2008

 

[urban genie]

As a FOC I'd gone to bed :)

I'm sticking by my original post as United were commonly referred to as the Jam Rags in the 80s and Rags later than that. I was born in the 50s so can only state that I'd never heard them called Rags or Jam Rags in the 60s & 70s.

That is probabaly, if we are honest because most of the 70s a lot of blues were using the M word as the popular term for them.

Like I say my dads always called them rags

 

[MCFCTrick]

My old man now 88, always called them Rags from being a kid he says. It did die out, but made a return in the 80's. So am sure it's related originally to the borrowed cast offs legend. At least initially.

 

[sir baconface]

But quoting it from a guy that has written how many books about City's history surely makes it more likely.

Is it possible that ragged kit was the true origin of the term, which fell into relative disuse before re-emerging with modern connotations?

I repeat I had never ever heard the nickname in the 60s or 70s. I heard them called them all the bastards under the sun but not that. However it was definitely a colloquialism for sanitary towels in those days. So possibly that’s why it crept back. Red, white, disgusting?

 

[bluealf]

Is it possible that ragged kit was the true origin of the term, which fell into relative disuse before re-emerging with modern connotations?

I repeat I had never ever heard the nickname in the 60s or 70s. I heard them called them all the bastards under the sun but not that. However it was definitely a colloquialism for sanitary towels in those days. So possibly that’s why it crept back. Red, white, disgusting?

The fact Gary stated it was originally a nickname they made for themselves would suggest that we may well have bastardized it at a later date, all I really meant was there must be a story or 2 out there that a top researcher/trusted source that Gary James will have trusted enough to then say what he said, don't know if he has written that down as pure fact in one of his books but he always comes across with integrity and not a man to make stuff up.

I would say that your definition does also exist but came about with younger people using that term, you must remember when you were a young lad thinking nobody has ever done this before but in reality, it has been done by every generation time after time lol plus making jokes about jam week is really more a late teenage past time lol

 

[Ardwick Green Blue]

Is it possible that ragged kit was the true origin of the term, which fell into relative disuse before re-emerging with modern connotations?

I repeat I had never ever heard the nickname in the 60s or 70s. I heard them called them all the bastards under the sun but not that. However it was definitely a colloquialism for sanitary towels in those days. So possibly that’s why it crept back. Red, white, disgusting?

I’ve been thinking about this and I reckon it came back spontaneously rather than people deciding to use it again. This was pre-internet so the vast majority (like me) had never heard of the historical view that Rags was a nickname for United. I’m still dubious about this to be honest.

 

[sir baconface]

The fact Gary stated it was originally a nickname they made for themselves would suggest that we may well have bastardized it at a later date, all I really meant was there must be a story or 2 out there that a top researcher/trusted source that Gary James will have trusted enough to then say what he said, don't know if he has written that down as pure fact in one of his books but he always comes across with integrity and not a man to make stuff up.

I would say that your definition does also exist but came about with younger people using that term, you must remember when you were a young lad thinking nobody has ever done this before but in reality, it has been done by every generation time after time lol plus making jokes about jam week is really more a late teenage past time lol

Haha yes. It’s a well known fact that my generation was the first to discover sex ;)

I assume Gary did his research thoroughly but am postulating that that the nickname fell (semi-) dormant and may have been re-invented with a different nuance. If I really wanted to insult a football team from Stretford, I dare say I could come up with something more powerful than “I say old chaps, you do somewhat resemble a threadbare piece of fabric”.