What it means
Someone who bottles it when the pressure’s on, chatting big beforehand then crumbling at the key moment. You’ll hear it loads in footy when a player or even a whole team loses their nerve and throws away a win. It’s tied to “to bottle it”, meaning to lose courage. Harsh label, but it’s a classic bit of UK banter.
Usage examples
"Talks big all week, steps up for the last-minute pen, absolutely skies it into Row Z. Whole end groans. Total bottle job."
"He's a bit of a bottle job, talks a big game and then freezes when it counts."
"Don't be a bottle job now, you've practised that penalty a hundred times."
"They were 2-0 up at half-time and still lost 3-2. Proper bottle job from the lot of them."
"You were giving it the big one all day, then ducked the presentation. Bottle job, mate."
