Modern Idioms (and where they come from)

Subtitle

Squeaky bum time

A time of extreme nervousness and high tension. Often applied to the tense final stages of a sports game, where fans may be either on the edge of their seats (hence squirming and making a squeaking noise) or on the verge of something altogether more lavatorial. The phrase is attributed to Scottish football manager Alex Ferguson, who used it in reference to the tense final stages of the 2003 English football season.