[NewCenturions]

Does that make "yob" as bad as the "n word"?

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

This Ought To Be Fun!

[Mr Ramsbotham]

"Shithead" would be a proper substitute.

[Mr. Mojo]

It remains unclear whether "hoodlums", "tearaways" or "ne'er-do-wells" will be seen as acceptable substitutes for the dreaded y-word.

Completely unacceptable, I suspect. We'll see something like "our rambunctious but lovable youth" instead.

[Chode]

a Yob by any other name...

[SWAMPSNIPER]

May I suggest "dysfunctional barbarian buttholes"? "DBBs"?
Hey, I'm only trying to help! "DBAs" really sounds better, but I don't want to get banned from the forum!

[ozzymandus]

How 'bout "punk"?

[Stoat]

"Yob" is a rare example of backslang..."

Rare?  Not in this Yank's experience:

Great Britain-Yob family all get ASBO (Thug family kicked out of neighborhood for SEVEN years)

Great Britain- Yobs' mums face sin-bins (Teachers will be allowed to detain students AND parents)

Great Britain- Time to make yobs fear the police again, says Howard

Great Britain- Blair war on yob gangs (Sweeping new legislation proposed)

Blair- Get shot of yobs (PM proposes tough pre-emptive measures for problem youths and parents)

[proudofthesouth]

Oh goody! Another British curse word to add to my vocabulary!

[Dallas59]

Oh brother...Somebody just take over the UK now.

[AndyJackson]

e claimed that "yobs" could be taken as a slur on groups of law-abiding youngsters who gather for innocent reasons.

One of the beautiful things about our anglo-saxon heritage is that the shorter words in our language lend themselves to no such confusion.

[ASOC]

Gee, amybe we could loan our British friends a word or two.

"Banger"

"Hooligan"