Nice one Cyril

[415]

What is the origin of this expression? Over Christmas, my niece's boyfriend
insisted that it was because the Spurs goalie was (is?) called Cyril. I
certainly remember watching a footer match a few years ago on the telly in the
UK and hearing the crowd going "Nice one Cyril ...", but I remember using the
expression back in '79 and before that. Was the Spurs Cyril around then, or
before, even? The boyfriend is young enough to just have assumed it is related
to the Spurs goalie, I can't tell if he's right or not.

Tim.

[Martyn Quigley]

Cyril Regis. "Nice one Cyril, nice one son.
Nice one Cyril, let's 'ave another one."

Sounds best in a good Black Country accent.

Martyn

[Lance Cogsworth Smith]

I know nothing of this, but The Penguin Dictionaty of Modern Quotations
(revised edition) has it as it as Cyril Knowles. Originally an ad slogan
that became adopted for football. Probably gets updated for new Cyrils.
--
Lance "Call me Dave" Smith | Tigers! Tigers! burning bright
(lsm...@cs.umn.edu) | In the ballpark of the night
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[Bruce Munro]

In article <1992Jan27.0...@cs.umn.edu> lsm...@cs.umn.edu (Lance "Cogsworth" Smith) writes:
>In <1992Jan26.2...@morgan.ucs.mun.ca> mqui...@morgan.ucs.mun.ca (Martyn Quigley) writes:
>
>>STRE...@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU (415) writes:
>>>What is the origin of this expression? Over Christmas, my niece's boyfriend
>>>insisted that it was because the Spurs goalie was (is?) called Cyril. I
>>>certainly remember watching a footer match a few years ago on the telly in the
>>>UK and hearing the crowd going "Nice one Cyril ...", but I remember using the
>>>expression back in '79 and before that. Was the Spurs Cyril around then, or
>>>before, even? The boyfriend is young enough to just have assumed it is related
>>>to the Spurs goalie, I can't tell if he's right or not.

Sort of right. It was Cyril Knowles, who was a Spurs full-back (defender)
not a goalkeeper. He was well known for his skilful play, sometimes artfully
dribbling the ball away from his own goalmouth rather than just hoofing
it away, even under heavy pressure. Cyril was at Spurs from the mid-60's
to mid 70's being in the team for wins in the FA Cup, League Cup and
UEFA Cup. Sadly he died of a brain tumour in August last year.

>>Cyril Regis. "Nice one Cyril, nice one son.
>> Nice one Cyril, let's 'ave another one."

Cyrille Regis my arse! Bloody cheek! Nicking our songs as well as
booting us out of the FA Cup.

>I know nothing of this, but The Penguin Dictionaty of Modern Quotations
>(revised edition) has it as it as Cyril Knowles. Originally an ad slogan
>that became adopted for football. Probably gets updated for new Cyrils.

This is spot on. The original came from an advertisement for milk (I
think), or maybe bread. There was a (not very good) record made by
a band called Cockerel Chorus that was inspired by the crowd chant.

Come on you Spurs!

--
Bruce Munro. <br...@tcom.stc.co.uk> || ...!mcsun!ukc!stc!bruce
BNR Europe Ltd, Oakleigh Rd South, London N11 1HB.
Phone : +44 81 945 2174 or +44 81 945 4000 x2174
"There are no strangers, only friends we don't recognise" - Hank Wangford

[Peter Woodhouse]

"Nice one Cyril" refers to Cyril Knowles, an ex-Spurs striker from the 60's (?).
He also managed a number of clubs in the 80's including Torquay Utd and
Darlington (a few more which I can't remember). Unfortunately, Cyril passed
away last year.

Peter
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Name : Peter Woodhouse Spider Systems Limited
E-mail: pet...@spider.co.uk Spider Park, Stanwell Street
Phone : +44 31 554 9424 Edinburgh, Scotland

[Barry Davies]

The term originated in a TV advertisement for bread - Mothers Pride, I think.
The scene was two bakers picking up loaves and trying to identify who in the
whole baking industry had baked that particular loaf. The scene ends when
they pick up a loaf they both agree is excellent and was baked by Cyril.
One of the bakers uses the phrase 'Nice one, Cyril.' This became a
catch phrase at the time, and was used in conjunction with many people
called Cyril (including my boss at the time!)

Barry

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[mike.s...@gmail.com]

No the chant did not originate from the TV Advert the TV Advert used the Crowd Chant. The real story and I can remember it was when Cyril Knowles scored and the crowd broke out with the chant because he was a defender and rarely scored. Then it was recorded and became a regular chant at White Hart Lane.
The advert was mid to late 80's at least 15 years after it became famous.
BTW it was as well known back in the 70's as Liverpool's 'You'll never walk alone" and well before COYs.

[rayhu...@gmail.com]

I remember being at the match when the chant first started, and I may be wrong and the above could be right - but my memory is that we were cruising in a match at White Hart Lane and Cyril played a lobbed back pass to Jennings and beat him and scored an own goal - the crowd thought it was hilarious and the chant started - prefer my version, but it was so long ago I may well be wrong. I think the match was against Crystal Palace for some reason.

[tonym...@gmail.com]

My Dad, Cyril Martin had this sung to him from the terraces of Bromley FC in the mid to late 1940's. He went on to play for England amateurs, where his regiment from WW2 desert rats chanted it to him from the terraces. He was then scouted by a Marseille scout at an England v France fixture and subsequently went on to play for Marseille for the 1947/48 Season on the right wing. They won the first division title that year, he was 3rd top scorer and became the first englishman to win a french first division medal. Not sure if the french took up the chant or not!
Hope this is of interest, regards, Tony Martin