Barnsley</p> The Team</p> The Side</p> The Club</p> ......are all singular.</p> --------------------------------------------</p> ie -</p> Barnsley is a good side</p> The team always plays as a solid unit</p> Barnsley Football Club is having a few problems</p> It's a good side.</p> None of this - </p> "Barnsley are hoping to win on saturday"</p> You've got to hand it to the team, they are excellent.</p> The club are going through a rough patch.</p> They are a good side.</p> The team play good football</p>
It can be either Barnsley, the team, the side, the club are all collective nouns, so there isn't a definitive rule. It depends on the situation. http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/collectivenoun.htm
A better example that actually uses a football team http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/aboutgrammar/pluralverbs
I agree ... ... with both Jay's - the Gay Bear and the Homo Witch. I thunk it will find that's we am correct.
Athersley Rec and they've just equalised And Athersley Rec have got the winner! The game is over. Leeds are relegated to the Conference North division, Tony Blair has declared them **** and David Batty has bee gaoled for crimes against EastStander’s sensibilities. Yay!
No The members of Leeds united are winning - they have just scored.</p> But Leeds United is winning. (Even though in this case Leeds ends with an "S"</p>
That's not what it says here http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/aboutgrammar/pluralverbs?view=uk Didn't you read it? If it means that much to you, you're right and they are wrong.
RE: No "Leeds United is winning" - just sounds wrong. As a team Leeds United is a collective noun thereby it is "Leeds United are winning"
RE: No Halifax is winning sounds ok.</p> Hull is winning sounds fine.</p> Why should it be Leeds are winning?</p>
that pisses me off on match of the day and other programs.... the arsenals, the chelseas! theres only one chelsea and one arsenal, at least the ones they are on about anyway.