Northamptonshire is called the Steelbacks because it is a reference to the county's association with the steel industry. The name was chosen in 1995 when the county cricket team was looking for a new identity. The Northamptonshire cricket team had previously been known as the Northamptonshire Steel until the mid-1980s, when it was changed to the Northamptonshire Panthers. However, in 1995, the team management decided to return to the county's steel heritage and rebrand the team as the Northamptonshire Steelbacks. The name "Steelbacks" is a play on words, as it refers to the hard, resilient qualities of steel, as well as the fact that Northamptonshire is located in the heart of England, where the weather can often be unpredictable and changeable, just like the back of a steel blade. Overall, the name Steelbacks is a fitting tribute to Northamptonshire's industrial past and serves as a strong symbol of the county's identity and pride.