Same City rivalries are usually healthy, partly because at the end of the day these people are your best mate/boss/work colleague/brother/cousin. The bitterest rivalries tend to be inter-city rivalries i.e Leeds/Man Utd. Liverpool/United. Wolves/Birmingham Wolves/West Brom
I think I tend to agree with that, DL. **** me! Someone get me a doctor! I think I'm coming down with something!
Wholly agree. I also think different clubs appeal to a different type of supporter and I speak for my part of London when I say this. For instance Chelsea as a Club has always reached out to the working class of South London and The Home Counties (mainly Surrey), Tottenham is similar, they have always reached out to the working class of North London and Home Counties (mainly Hertfordshire). Due to the similarities amongst the fans off the field clashes are obviously common, you could add West Ham (Essex) into this as well. In contrast from my experience Arsenal reach out more to the Middle class of North London as well as Black Communities in South East London (London in general but there moreso). Fulham definitely appeal more to the middle class of South West London. So already there are class and even ethnic differences amongst the fans
It's funny, but local splits can even determine which school you go to. When I was a kid, I went to Tottenham County, which had a majority of Spurs support among us boys, but the kids across the road at Somerset School supported mainly Arsenal. I don't know how true that is now, of course (bearing in mind that Tottenham County closed a few years back).
You're probably right there. At school, it was 80% Leeds, 15% Man U and 5% Liverpool. So you still knew some of the enemy, but never enough of them for it to feel harsh calling them scum bastards whereas people in more close-knit, mixed areas like Chelsea/Fulham/Shepherds Bush/Brentford might be more about semi-friendly banter with mates than pure vitriol directed at strangers.
I would agree with that. I find far more of the vitriol is directed at northern clubs. Where I live if someone tells you they support West Ham, Arsenal or Tottenham you obviously look at them with disdain but can have a laugh and joke about it. But if someone tells you they support United or Liverpool (I.e gloryhunter) you would look often look at them with contempt. To be honest I don't even consider Liverpool or United fans down South worth my time as I know they have no connection to the club and could not name the road Old Trafford or Anfield is even on never mind of stepped foot there. I think it's possibly the same in Leeds and neighbouring areas to Liverpool/United. Chelsea/Leeds used to be huge and the fans/players hated each other
There was a Liverpool 'fan' in my class at school, biggest **** you could ever meet. I think I must have mocked him every day about being a southern mouser.
The day after Moscow I did not want to go to school as I was afraid I'd knock a United "fan" out if he tried to goad me about the result and I'm not even remotely violent. I had far more respect for the Fulham lot and a most of the Chelsea who at least went to games and had a connection to the club
As gutted as I was about the 2002 final I never felt the same way with Arsenal fans as they were my mates. They would wind us up a little bit but never too much as they knew we were hurting. By Monday Aftenoon all was forgotten. I found a lot of Liverpool and United fans in school just pricks in general. I know United fans that did not even watch the CL final nor even able to name a player bar Ronaldo that were quick to stick the knife in. I can't imagine how you must have felt in 94, I was gutted after the semi in 96 and that was early days for me. 2002 was my lowest point though, even worse than Moscow (which at least I could blame on bad luck and Drogba). When you aren't good enough that's when it hurts ala 94 and 2002. We'd had such a good run in 2002 to get to the Millenium as well. Beat Fulham away, beat Spammers, thumped Spuds....
I have to say though.. for me rivalries in football, even if its a long distance leeds vs chelsea one, make a football match so much more enjoyable (providing the fans dont cause too much trouble). I love the atmospheres at these games and it makes for a feisty contest. The atmosphere in the stands transfers to that on the pitch. I still think though the Mackem-Toon derby is incredible but it is expected when there aren't many clubs up there.
I have a few gooners in the family and at least they're actually from London and gain some respect! In 94 I was only 10/11 years old so the torment wasn't as bad. My Dad and older brother were far more gutted than I was though, them being a lot older than I am and experienced more pain as a Chelsea fan being the reason! There were a couple of United fans in my school but moreso Arsenal and Liverpool in terms of glory hunting.
Won't be long before we're ruffling your feathers again, reminding you that we're the true eternal Champions of Europe.
The Premier League needs clubs like Leeds, Forest, Derby etc. Proper clubs. As much as I hate Warnock part of me would like to see Leeds come up. Leeds, Wolves and Palace/Charlton will do me
In terms of challenging for honours the biggest rivalry at the moment is without doubt United vs Citeh. In terms of global appeal it has to be Liverpool vs United. As a neutral I enjoy the Spurs vs Arsenal rivalry, always gives good games.
On this forum they do, we had a thread on it and most said that they thought the Liverpool v Man Utd game was the biggest rivalry.
It is for Liverpool fans but United have bigger fish to fry. City now for example. Liverpool are not even a category A game these days despite the Sky hype
I think the whole 'Pool v United rivalry came out of the fact that 'Pool had won the premier/epl title more times, but now that United has put that one very much to bed (and especially with 'Pool extremely unlikely to win another title for a very, very long time), I strongly suspect that the rivalry will take on less and less significance over time, and its wide-world appeal will dwindle, what with 'Pool now being a tarnished brand. I strongly suspect that United v £ity will become the greatest sporting event on the planet for the next few years, with world-wide plastics (from both sides of the divide) wondering if United will ever again be able to beat £ity.
United are in decline and financially ****ed due to the hard up yanks using them as a cash cow and loading them up with debt. City v Chelsea has a better ring to it whereas West Ham v Tottering Coldspuds the pick of the championship.
