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NICKNAMES
Footballers are famous for their love of nicknames. Here is a brief sample of some of the more unusual nicknames handed out at Easter Road.
Basher Barry Lavety – a direct style and physical presence
Benny Ally Brazil
Crunchie Kevin McAllister
Cubby Johnny Cuthbertson
Ginger Jimmy Dunn – a reference to his striking hair colour
GBH Gordon Hunter – a nickname coined by Pat Stanton upon seeing some of the enthusiastic tackling by the youngster at training.
Last Minute Lawrie Reilly –a reputation for scoring important late goals
Little Magician Russell Latapy
Ned Eddie Turnbull
Nicker Bobby Johnstone – scurrying ‘fetch and carry’ style resembled the dog ‘Nicker’ in a Sunday Post cartoon strip
Niddrie Pat Stanton – as he came from this district of Edinburgh
Nijinski Arthur Duncan – refers to the legendary speedy racehorse.
Onions John Brownlie – apparently related to John’s hair style
Quick Draw Allan McGraw – rhyming slang for a master marksman
The Rebel Eric Stevenson
Sloop John B John Blackley – named after the Beach Boys hit single of that name
Primo Mike MacDonald
Shades Erich Schaedler – shortened version of his surname
Sniper Jimmy McColl
Sojer Alex Cropley – a Scottish version of the word soldier, in Cropley’s case because of his having been born in the military town of Aldershot, his father being in the army.
Yogi John Hughes – named after the larger than life size bear in a children’s cartoon
The club itself is known far and wide as “The Hi Bees”, over recent years the spelling has changed to Hibees, but the meaning and abbreviation carry the same