Proud new father Alan Shearer is aiming to make it a personal double celebration by scoring against Coventry tomorrow night. Whether or not he finds the net at Highfield Road Shearer's new son Will has already put a smile on the old man's face. "Life doesn't get any better than this," Shearer beamed this morning, "I'm absolutely thrilled to bits and I'll be out to celebrate tomorrow night. If I can score a goal for Will, that would be marvellous. But three points would be even better." And Shearer added, "I saw that the bookies are offering 250-1 on Will playing for England.... who knows, they might be right!" (From Team Talk)

-- Anonymous, September 05, 2000

Answers

Le Saux? Will? Ah, I get it - Willy Socks. Just what's needed for the forthcoming fixtures at KP.

-- Anonymous, September 05, 2000

Shouldn't the line If I can score a goal for Will really read I can score goals at will

;0)

-- Anonymous, September 05, 2000

No - it's just not a very "grandson of a sheet metal worker" sort of name. You can see him polaying football, can't you? "Oh, Will, please be so kind as to pass the ball to me". "My pleasure".

-- Anonymous, September 05, 2000

We've decided on Will because it's a good strong Geordie name - now we've got two girls and a boy there will be no more planned!"

Good strong Geordie name? Perhaps in Darras Hall..

-- Anonymous, September 05, 2000

What's wrong with it then?

I was just thinking that it would be time to evolve into a Will at my time of life. I started out - like most other Northumbrian Williams - as a Billy. It was traditional at the time, bit like Geordie for George, but let's not go there again. Was a big day when I was allowed to be Bill. But you've proper put me off Will now pet.

Just don't call me William - takes me back to early days, in very deep sh*t if I got summoned as that...

-- Anonymous, September 05, 2000

My dad was called William, as is my eldest brother......my brother has been Billy most of his life and was only 'allowed' to really become Bill when the old fella died.

He'd probably kill you if you called him Will, but I have to say it has a good ring to it.

-- Anonymous, September 05, 2000

where's Buff when we need an unbiased opinion ?

-- Anonymous, September 05, 2000

Bliddy good name.
Dr Bill did gloss over the awful possibility of being called

Willy

.


-- Anonymous, September 05, 2000

Both my grandads were Williams, eldest Uncle was a Bill, my brother was a Billy (RIP), and my nephew's a Benjamin William (middle-class aspirations). If I ever father a son, and since Softie's big day I've started getting decidedly broody, I feel duty bound to include William somewhere on the lads birth certificate. You've just ensured though Dougal, that he won't ever be called 'Wil'. Mind you the Dutch shorten their 'Willem' to 'Wim' which sounds even worse.

-- Anonymous, September 06, 2000

Mention of Willy reminds me of "I'm sorry I haven't a clue" on the radio when Willie Rushton was alive and one of the stars of the show. In one of the silly games (where they had to gargle a tune would you believe) the team were asked to change into swimming trunks (which makes for very good radio).

The excellent Humphrey Lyttleton announced, "The team are now all in their swimming trunks - Willie's are outstanding."

-- Anonymous, September 06, 2000

LOL, Jonno! William is one of my v.fave names but "Will" sounds a bit unlikely for a future Newcastle and England centre forward. Then again, there was always Julian Dicks...

-- Anonymous, September 06, 2000

Big Al must have been reading the history of the Boer War; it's a little known fact that the first casualty in that war was also named Will, as in...

wait for it...

"SHOOT AT WILL" ;-)

-- Anonymous, September 06, 2000

And what about this true story, Michael Holding (West Indies fast bowler) and Peter Willey (England batsmen, Geordie and now Test umpire):

"The bowler's Holding, the batsman's Willey"!

;-7

-- Anonymous, September 06, 2000

Bill, don't get me wrong, I think you'd make a fine Will.

-- Anonymous, September 06, 2000

Isn`t it interesting Will or Wills (I guess with it`s `royal` connotations) and Bill or Billy, all derived from the same name, but seemingly conjuring up entirely different social stereotypes! - Not that I subscribe to the `social sterotyping` of anyone you understand (especially not of here!)

Can you think of any other examples? Or maybe the difference is more to do with it being an old fashioned way of shortening names. For example Ted v Ed or Eddy for Edward?(:o)

-- Anonymous, September 06, 2000