More a reference to the fact the club supports players who work for each other and doesn't like tall poppy types.
Totally agree "Blue Collar" isn't a derogatory term. It's a type of work that people usually do in an environment where there is no place for a high-maintenance attitude.
So the implication is that people who have "white-collar" jobs are snotty elitists with attitude? I dunno, in my experience of "blue-collar" work there was a lot of bullying and assholness whereas in "white collar" jobs people don't give a shit if you're a bit odd as long as you do the job.
Not implying anything.
But from personal experience I've seen as much and to some extent more bullying in white collar jobs. In the blue collar jobs you get called a c*nt and that's usually the end of it and I've seen punch ups which were not nice. If you keep getting called a c*nt then maybe, as I was, you're not up for to the job and it was time to look elsewhere.
White collar jobs the bullying tends to be hierarchical, gossipy, back-stabbing, passive-aggressive and sort of insidious. It also depends on the gender mix. Male dominated workplaces men tend to swear at you and can get physical. Women tend to exclude and manipulate and gossip.
Neither is very nice and are both extremely damaging. I fully expect the different types of bullying to merge as workplaces/jobs get more gender neutral.
If you think doing a good job protects you from bullying then you've been extremely fortunate in the jobs you've had.
In white collar jobs bullying from bosses is the most common from what I've read. Many managers are not as skilled or trained as they could be and take out their frustration or insecurity on the more gifted individuals below them.