Brit Dopers: Explain celery-throwing

[freckafree]

This news story piqued my curiosity. What’s the deal with celery-throwing? And what are the unprintable lyrics to the song?!??

[Kimstu]

Sez here:

Celery throwing, in case you weren’t aware, is a slightly surreal Chelsea tradition that dates back to the 1980s. The vegetable throwing is an accompaniment to the famous Celery song', a paean to the erotic properties of the humble apium graveolens dulce: Celery, celery, if she don’t come, I’ll tickle her bum, with a lump of celery’.

Until this week the origins of the chant were a mystery to me. However, after trawling football websites, I came across the theory that the chant is based on a Chas and Dave recording of a traditional cockney singalong called Ask Old Brown To Tea'. Not being particularly familiar with the Chas and Dave canon, I consulted my friend Ed, a self-confessed aficionado of the London pub rockers. He confirmed that the Chas and Dave connection was correct. The original lyric was, Ask Old Brown to tea, and his family, if he don’t come, I’ll tickle his bum, with a lump-a celery’. Chas and Dave recorded a version on an old Christmas album, which then became a hit among travelling Chelsea fans on a tour of Sweden in 1981, and a tradition was born.

[MrFloppy]

Ha ha. I am a Brit expat having lived in the US for the last 20 years. I am a huge Baltimore Ravens fan. There is, in the UK, a small contingent of Ravens fans who come over for at least one game each season.

For the past two years, they have showed up at the tailgate with celery. Bags and bags of 3" cut celery. Last season it was for the home opener against the Raiders. These blokes relentlessly pelted a group of 40 or so Raider fans in our lot for three hours while singing the celery song (and many others). It was probably one of the funniest things I have ever seen.

There are a few pics here: http://profootball24x7.com/forum/showthread.php?t=649

My understanding is that it originated in the north of England at Rugby games, possibly started by fans of Hull Kingston Rovers who one day decided to lob the vegetable at opposing fans. It spilled over to Football (Soccer) games where it seems to be causing a problem.

I will email the characters in the photos about the origin and report back.

[Peter_Morris]

A modern derivative of the time-honoured tradition of rhubarb-thrashing. I for one do not approve.

[vetbridge]

From Bizarre Hockey Fan Traditions | Sports Fan Celebrations | Detroit Red Wings | NHL

For nearly 50 years, hockey fans in Detroit have been throwing octopi on to the ice after a big win by the Red Wings.

[vetbridge]

So in the UK you have soft core nudes in your newspaper, but “bum” is unprintable?

[Giles]

@vetbridge

So in the UK you have soft core nudes in your newspaper, but “bum” is unprintable?

To rephrase:

Naked bums are allowed on page three, as long as they are not referred to as “bums”,

[Baron_Greenback]

@vetbridge

So in the UK you have soft core nudes in your newspaper, but “bum” is unprintable?

“Fuck” and “cunt” are both printable, depending on the newspaper. In this case it’s probably because the “come” in the football version of the song is really “cum”.

[GorillaMan]

@Struan

“Fuck” and “cunt” are both printable, depending on the newspaper.

The Guardian style guide goes into detail:

fuck
do not describe this as “a good, honest old-fashioned Anglo-Saxon word” because, first, there is no such thing as an Anglo-Saxon word (they spoke Old English) and, more important, it did not appear until the late 13th century
see swearwords

Guardian and Observer style guide: P

[CC]

Rhubarb thrashing???