Not being biased or anything but yes from me as well, working Saturday with a barcode so we can both watch it on the Sunday I'll be in a bar or maybe SOL, he'll be in the JDsports end of the sportsdirect arena.
Well it is to us........... But the people of Manchester, Liverpool, London etc. may think otherwise.
It's hard to say. I'd say yes as it's two cities, the police take more caution than any other derby and the atmosphere's are unreal compared to the others. Manchester Derby is now huge because of league positions. Merseyside derby is a joke, both fans openly sit together. North London derby is two great teams, but fans are allowed to arrive and leave with other, so the hatred can't be that intense. Ours is two average teams, huge support playing for NE pride. The celebrations, the atmospheres, the despair, the emotions of the game seem to be running a lot higher than those of another derby. The banter is second to none also.
I think it must be easy to have a good derby when you are alwys winning something, looking at our two teams its certainly not about our success, just pure passion. Did Mrs Brown really say that?
It might be the biggest derby in England to us - which is all that counts really - but I seriously doubt it is to anyone else ! The most intense maybe in terms of passion and potential for trouble, but I live outside the NE these days and honestly not a lot of people outside the region are that interested ! Personally I hate the derbies and the stress, dread and nausea they bring - unless we win at which point I'm the happiest man in the world !
Badger are you for real? Liverpool derby is a joke they sit together??? If your saying it's the most hateful derby fair enough but it diesn't make it big. Personally I know loads of mags and would happily sit next to them at a match. I think the bother and the hatred side of things is embarrassing especially when you see grown men do it. Don't get me wrong I'm all for passion and we could have the most passionate one.
The London clubs get 4 or 5 cracks at a derby. At the Manc derby , half the seats at OT are sold to Cockneys anyway , and they couldn't give a **** about local pride. The Glasgow derby is huge , but they have 4 league games against each other and usually one or even two cup finals. That give them half a dozen chances to get one over the Auld Enemy. Whereas we only get two chances of winning our derby game , unless one of us is holidaying in the Championship for a season or two. Ours is the biggest and the best by a country mile . . . . . . . . . . . but I still don't enjoy it. Too much local pride at stake.
I think it's the biggest in terms of what it means to us, for sure. Other derbies are similar in rivalry though, and are often overlooked. Pompey v Saints is a very similar affair to ours, in terms of the tribal nature of the support, and I always thing the Birmingham derby has a cracking atmosphere, very passionate. Manchester, Liverpool, and a couple of the London ones are bigger games, clearly, but I don't think bigger derbies.
I'm not sure to be honest... I'd say Man U v Liverpool is bigger as far as football rivalry goes and as hostility/passion generated between the fans I reckon the Sheffields or Leeds v Forest (is that actually classed as a derby though? The rules seem elastic) are at least as 'big'. Outside of England it's not seen as the biggest that's for sure and both clubs are fairly anonymous to most people. I think only we know how much passion and angst it creates and it still baffles me somewhat, although I certainly partake of the angst, joy and despair as much as the next man.
To us its huge, to everyone else it isnt. Until we are regular top 6-8 clubs in the league, cup runs, Europe, then it will stay that way, once we break through (if we ever do, but i cant see why not) then it will become bigger for the rest of the country/europe.
That shouldn't be looked on negatively, and should be highlighted as a good example of how things should be..
The big (massive really) difference between ours and the others is that for long periods there hasn't really been much at stake other than bragging rights, whereas the others generally involve teams at the top where the outcome has a big impact on silverware. Hence the Manchester derby taking on such 'importance' in the last few seasons. Since it is possible to argue ours is biggest is down purely to the passion we have in the NE. Although thats not to say there is no real passion in the other derbies, it just gets watered down by glory supporters.
In a perfect society yes. But I couldn't stand sitting next to a Mackem for a derby. To me, a derby is about rivalry, pure hatred on the day of the game. No violence though.
