Used affectionately in chants by supporters of Premier League club Tottenham but hurled back by rivals with venom, England football leaders want to end any ambiguity about the use of "Yid" at matches.
Whatever the context, using the derogatory term for Jews in chants is inappropriate, and using it risks criminal prosecution, the English Football Association has ruled.
"The FA would encourage fans to avoid using it in any situation," the organisation said on its website.
Fans of Tottenham, which has traditionally drawn a large fan base from the Jewish communities in London, have been calling themselves the "Yid Army" for decades.
And Tottenham officials have always been careful not to condemn their own fan base by stressing that the "call to arms" was intended to deflect anti-Semitic abuse at matches.
But English football's governing body is concerned that "Yiddo" chants that might seem innocuous lead to far more sinister chants.
"The FA is aware that there are sections of fans at certain clubs who describe themselves using the term, or variants of the term, 'Yid,'" the FA announced. "Those fans claim that use of the term is a 'badge of honour' and is not intended to be offensive.
"Nevertheless, its use is still liable to cause offence to others, whether Jewish or not. Also, by using the term in this manner, fans may be clouding the issue by making it harder to differentiate its use by these fans and by those who use the term in an intentionally offensive manner."
While acknowledging that "Yid" is derived from the Yiddish word for a Jewish person, the FA said in England the word has always been "derogatory and offensive" and its use even divides opinion in the religious community.
"In light of the historic and contemporary use of the term, the FA considers that the use of the term 'Yid' is likely to be considered offensive by the reasonable observer," the FA said, outlining how it wants clear rules on unacceptable behavior that are applicable throughout the game.
Offenders are liable to be prosecuted and handed a lengthy ban from attending matches.
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