Local Rivalries Now ,and Then

[kenred]

When I started watching First Division Football in the early 50s,it wasnt unusual to go to see my local Clubs ,Manchester United ,and Manchester City on alternate weeks .The local North Western Road Car Co ran trips for 2/6d to Old Trafford ,and Maine Road.I have always had an affinity with the Reds ,but in those days you could stand side by side with Blues at Derby matches .I shouldnt imagine that is wise today I am sorry to say .It was reputedly the same in Liverpool ,where Blue ,and Red stood along each other .I dont think even in the 50s that would have applied to Celtic ,and Rangers,but I think in England it was different .Local rivalry and dislike of your
neighbours up to a point is understandable ,but unfortunately today it seems to border on the hatred.
Society has changed I know ,but despite my advancing years I dont think its a good thing.However I may be totally wrong ,and perhaps fervent partisanship for your team is justified.
It would be interesting to hear the views of Nottingham fans ,Bristolians,Steel city supporters ,Merseysiders North Londoners,
and any other fans who have an experience with the deadly
rivals.

[ForestMick]

I think you're probably right Ken. I dont have a fervent hatred of Notts (County), but there is a rivalry. However, Derby is a different matter!! I was brought up to despise them, and to be fair, have carried on that tradition with my kids. From my point of view, the large part of that is local rivalry, but also the situation with Cloughie and Taylor, particularly when Pete went back to Derby and took Robbo with him.
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[burnley_collector]

Burnley and Blackburn is a massive rivalry - almost bordering on hatred!

I think the rivalry is building due to the fact that we haven't played each other much over the last 20 years, but of course this year we play each other twice!

[Auchinleckian]

Believe me, Auchinleck Talbot vs Cumnock is legendary in Scotland. The culture behind the seething hatred outweighs that of the Old Firm.

[coolascustard]

ForestMick wrote:

I think you're probably right Ken. I dont have a fervent hatred of Notts (County), but there is a rivalry. However, Derby is a different matter!! I was brought up to despise them, and to be fair, have carried on that tradition with my kids. From my point of view, the large part of that is local rivalry, but also the situation with Cloughie and Taylor, particularly when Pete went back to Derby and took Robbo with him.

Agreed the rivalry is emense.
I worked in Notts for 12 years so I got to know a few Forest fans.Iam a honest guy I tell it how I see it you try and tell a Forest fan anything(this goes the opposite way as well)they just think your bitter eg Commons,and know Billy Davies.

[ForestMick]

Most of my family are from border country (Ilkeston, Eastwood, Heanor, Langley Mill), and some of the family support the sheep. To say they don't get on is putting it very mildly!
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[Senior82]

Sheffield has always been divided, and always will be.

[ForestMick]

My Mrs is an Owls fan (even though she plays for Forest ladies!!), and although she was born in Notts, she hates the Blunts. Her dad was offered a trial by the Blunts when he was a kid, but he told them he would rather not be a footballer than play for them!
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[stodin]

Just echoing what Mick said, the Forest / Derby rivalry is intense.

Notts County do seem to dislike Forest but the feeling is not reciprocated. Notts fans seem to think that Forest got lucky with the capture of Clough as manager and the percieved arrogance of Forest fans following the unbelievable success of the late 70's early 80s. You will often hear Notts fans saying that they were the better club before Clough, conveniently forgetting that prior to 1974/75 the last time they finished above Forest was 1954. They also forget that they spent all the 1960's in the 3rd and 4th divisions while Forest were in the 1st division (finishing 2nd in 1967)

Bless em.


In saying that I used to often go to Notts County games when Forest were not playing, I even travelled away with them sometimes and I saw them away in Brescia in the Anglo Italian cup

When Notts played at Wembley in the Play-off finals (3 times I think) and the 2 Anglo-Italian cup finals, a good 50% of the crowd was made up of Forest fans with very little bother or animosity. I am not sure the same would happen with the supporters of any other 2 club city.

The only times I have seem any bother between the 2 sets of fans was in a pub near the train station when some glasses were throw at Forest fans (including me) by some wannabe Notts fans. And when someone tried to have a pop at me when I gave Charlie Palmer the wanker sign after he scored against Forest, I was stood with some Notts County fan friends in the County end and forgot where I was.... Maybe It was just me that bought out the worst in them



On the subject of Notts County, the money men who have taken over the club are certainly talking the talk and things look promising there, hopefully it wont be long before there is a proper City Derby to play and maybe, just maybe Notts will over take Forest and claim (what they think) is their rightful place as the elite team in Nottingham... Nurse!!!!

[matt blue]

I wont even mention the friendly atmosphere that happens between cardiff and swansea

[ToffeeDan]

Everton-Liverpool used to sort of ok cos of the divided family thing but lately (and partly I guess cos of the high proportion of Johnny CLs at Anfield) it doesn't seem that way anymore.

What once passed for joyous celebration over the beating of your deadliest rival now appears to descend into total hatred. The snear on the face of some of the Reds after the Clattenberg inspired win over us (2007) was enough to make me rage.. Enough said..

Since we beat them less frequently than the other way round makes it somewhat more pleasurable in my opinion - something to savour..

[jonnyp]

Being a Leeds fan as long as i can remember you are brought up to hate man utd and chelsea. Even though we are 2 divisions below you still here songs at most matches to do with hating manchester and chelsea. On the other hand Bradford and most of the football league seem to hate us and revel in our demise. I moved to bradford from leeds 8 years ago and city fans really do hate us. Leeds on the other hand dont seem to bother much with bradford.

[surfinjim]

ForestMick wrote:

My Mrs is an Owls fan (even though she plays for Forest ladies!!), and although she was born in Notts, she hates the Blunts. Her dad was offered a trial by the Blunts when he was a kid, but he told them he would rather not be a footballer than play for them!

Respect due to ForestMick's Father in Law!

Top man!


Jim
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26th December 1979

Bolder, Blackhall, Williamson, Smith, Pickering, Hornsby, King, Johnson, McCulloch, Mellor, Curran.

Scorers; Mellor, King, Curran, Smith (pen)

GODS EVERY ONE OF THEM!

[surfinjim]

burnley_collector wrote:

Burnley and Blackburn is a massive rivalry - almost bordering on hatred! I think the rivalry is building due to the fact that we haven't played each other much over the last 20 years, but of course this year we play each other twice!

I've a pal who is a Blackburn fan, lives on Morse Street in Burnley (its spitting distance to Turf Moor).

He daren't wear his Rovers shirt in his own house!


Jim
_________________
26th December 1979

Bolder, Blackhall, Williamson, Smith, Pickering, Hornsby, King, Johnson, McCulloch, Mellor, Curran.

Scorers; Mellor, King, Curran, Smith (pen)

GODS EVERY ONE OF THEM!

[ToffeeDan]

jonnyp wrote:

Being a Leeds fan as long as i can remember you are brought up to hate man utd and chelsea. Even though we are 2 divisions below you still here songs at most matches to do with hating manchester and chelsea. On the other hand Bradford and most of the football league seem to hate us and revel in our demise. I moved to bradford from leeds 8 years ago and city fans really do hate us. Leeds on the other hand dont seem to bother much with bradford.

Leeds and Chelsea... now there was a rivalry (pre LU and Man U)

1970 Cup Final replay... gruesome. Dermot Gallagher (I think) dished on 21 yellow and reds on re-reviewing it a few years ago (modern reffing standards)

[surfinjim]

I think Sheffield is very much on par with any other major football divide, ie Liverpool/North London/Brum.


We work alongside each other week in week out and some of my best mates are Porkers. My best man when I got wed was a porker.

Through the close season it is constant ribbing of each other as to who is the best club at present, who has the best ground, who has the most fans, who'se got the most money etc etc. You do get pretty bored with it, and the main reason why as an Owl right now, is because the Blunts are the better run club at present.

There is a big arguement at present on another local forum I use as to who is the biggest club out of the 2, perceived by other fans. Personally I couldn't give a rats ass.

Wednesday WERE a big club only 15/20 years ago. We won a league cup and had some great premiership performances. But thats in the past. United fans hammer on about how big a club they are, but they haven't pulled any trees up for decades.

You get the jist of it!

Three things both sets of supporters will agree upon though. There will never be a joint team or ground share. But more importantly, we all HATE Leeds!


Jim
_________________
26th December 1979

Bolder, Blackhall, Williamson, Smith, Pickering, Hornsby, King, Johnson, McCulloch, Mellor, Curran.

Scorers; Mellor, King, Curran, Smith (pen)

GODS EVERY ONE OF THEM!

[coolascustard]

Does anybody like Leeds!

[ToffeeDan]

coolascustard wrote:

Does anybody like Leeds!

Well I'm a bit more mature about it now.. but NO!

Everton - Leeds running battles on and off the pitch - ref took players off pitch to cool down at Goodison mid 60s

Chelsea - Leeds

Man U - Leeds

Both Sheffield teams I imagine

Millwall

Liverpool - almost certainly..

Derby (Clough related in part)

Revie definitely cultivated a mentality of them and us at Leeds...

[coolascustard]

Leeds-Derby was partly to do with Clough but also they came to the BBG in the 80s and rioted ripping out seats my brother got hit by one and broke his collar bone.

[kenred]

Wonder if there is any rivalry between Oxford United ,and Oxford City ,Cambridge United ,and Cambridge City ,Harrogate Town ,and Harrogate Railway .Stoke City and Port Vale,
Chelsea ,and Fulham (no way, who could dislike Fulham?)
Bradford City ,and Park Avenue.
Maybe the inhabitants of aforementioned watch both maybe ? :