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[Football] Best secondary rivalries



Simster

Simster

"the man's an arse"
Jul 7, 2003
54,377
Surrey
albionfan37 said:
Leeds forest
Leicester coventry
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Leicester are a funny club when it comes to rivalries. In the 60s (pre Clough), their main rivalry with Forest was pretty mutual. Since then of course, Forest really only have eyes for Derby, they're not even bothered about the club 100 yards away over the river, never mind Leicester.

I remember looking at a thread on a Leicester forum asking who their main rivals were. Most said Forest but they don't like not having it reciprocated so there were a smattering of other clubs mentioned, and the consensus was that it entirely depended which part of Leicester's hinterland they lived. So people to the north said Forest, northwest said Derby, west said Coventry and some people in the east were actually bothered by Peterborough!
 




A

albionfan37

Well-known member
Aug 14, 2014
4,178
What’s it called? Cumbernauld
Simster said:
Leicester are a funny club when it comes to rivalries. In the 60s (pre Clough), their main rivalry with Forest was pretty mutual. Since then of course, Forest really only have eyes for Derby, they're not even bothered about the club 100 yards away over the river, never mind Leicester.

I remember looking at a thread on a Leicester forum asking who their main rivals were. Most said Forest but they don't like not having it reciprocated so there were a smattering of other clubs mentioned, and the consensus was that it entirely depended which part of Leicester's hinterland they lived. So people to the north said Forest, northwest said Derby, west said Coventry and some people in the east were actually bothered by Peterborough!
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When I lived in Lutterworth they were all very anti cov
 










zefarelly

zefarelly

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 7, 2003
22,070
Sussex, by the sea
Derby have more of an issue with Nottingham Forest don't they?

Bristol Rovers were ********s when we beat them to go up in 89.

Cardiff . . .
 










Eeyore

Eeyore

Colonel Hee-Haw of Queen's Park
NSC Patron
Apr 5, 2014
24,263
Simster said:
A subject not often talked about, this. We all know the big rivalries around the country, but rarely talk about the lesser ones. Specifically, I'm talking about rivalries between clubs where neither side view the other as their biggest rivals, but there is definitely needle there - like ourselves vs Portsmouth. It is odd that some people almost refuse to acknowledge the existence of these rivalries (I think it is a "you're not as important to us as you we are to you" kind of thing) but it seems strange when it is often trotted out that rivalries are the lifeblood of football.

So anyway, here are some good ones, starting with our own:

Albion v Portsmouth - anyone who supported the clubs in the 80s and early 90s will realise this was very real and trouble followed it everywhere. They beat us 5-1 after we led at half time, then in the pouring rain made us listen to Solent's radio coverage of the goals while their thugs lobbed bricks into our end. The 1-1 at their place that ultimately led to neither side going up when both had the chance on the final day in 1985. The 2-3 the following season at the Goldstone, the 2-1 win for us (scoring twice in the last few mins) when we were basically already down but meant they didn't go up. And then later the 1-0 flukey win for us in the cup, the season after they got to the semi. People in West Sussex know who their club's real enemies are supposed to be, but don't tell them Albion v Portsmouth doesn't matter.

Aston Villa v West Brom - Villa are West Brom's closest club, and the Hawthorns is only a mile further from Villa Park than St Andrews, so perhaps it's no surprise these two have form for mutual loathing. I think it was a rivalry long before Birmingham and Wolves were on the scene and obviously these days with Birmingham not quite at the races, and a recent play-off series won by Villa on pens, this rivalry is clearly quite stoked up.

Preston v Blackburn - separated by only 10 miles, these two are natural rivals in many ways. As it is, Blackburn look a similar distance to the east where Burnley provoke their ire (Accrington is in between) and Preston look 17 miles west to Blackpool, but again nobody in this region is pretending this rivalry doesn't matter, especially with both clubs main rivals in different divisions. Preston resent the "plastics" buying the league when they were in division 3, Blackburn doesn't like Preston's uppity ideas of itself owing to it's county town status.

There must be loads of them. Which is the best one of these:

Derby v Leicester
Chelsea v Leeds
Chelsea v West Ham
Leeds v Derby


Here is a guide, although you have to dispute some of them. For example, do Man City really view Liverpool as more of a rival than United these days?

https://www.givemesport.com/1500300...lated&utm_medium=web-view&utm_campaign=manual
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I was there that day. Rotten weather and their five goals came in less than twenty minutes.

I don't recall any bricks entering the away end though (can't see how as there was an empty section in between). I guess there was about 1000 or less of us there, unlike the 5000 or so Pompey who were given the North Stand for the home fixture- much to folk's annoyance.

I've only ever seen trouble once at this fixture. After an evening fixture in 1992 when a few Albion took a kicking in Hove Park. Portsmouth had a a lot more aggressive types than we did.

Although PPF may be along to claim a glorious victory after saying 'boo' to a few pensioners on Boxing Day 1976.

There was always a lot of willy waving in those days about who was 'harder'. I remember a conversation with an Argyle fan once who said he loved coming Brighton. I asked why and he simply responded by saying it was one of the safest places to come for a game. That's something to be proud of.
 
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Eeyore

Eeyore

Colonel Hee-Haw of Queen's Park
NSC Patron
Apr 5, 2014
24,263
Don't Wycombe Wanderers have a bizarre rivalry with Colchester United or Southend or something ?
 












keaton

keaton

Big heart, hot blood and balls. Big balls
Nov 18, 2004
9,739
Guinness Boy said:
Is it just me who thought this would be about Hove Park v Blatch Mill?
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I assumed the same and was going to suggest Stringer - Varndean though it's not really a rivalry as Varndean would accept they're all scum
 






Garry Nelson's Left Foot

Garry Nelson's Left Foot

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
13,241
tokyo
Guinness Boy said:
Is it just me who thought this would be about Hove Park v Blatch Mill?
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Both Newman's bitches.

On topic there must be loads of London ones? Certainly between Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea and West Ham.

Everton Man Utd/city? No idea if that's one but assuming it's a city based rivalry there must be some animosity there?

Colchester v Ipswich? Again no idea if that's one but they're not a million miles away from each other.
 






Harry Wilson's tackle

Harry Wilson's tackle

Harry Wilson's Tackle
NSC Patron
Oct 8, 2003
52,100
Faversham
Millwall Luton paved the way for the absurd fencing that culminated in Hillsborough.

Others have mentioned Chelsea Leicester. They both still sing 'and Leicester/Chelsea' about each other like we do 'P*lace' in the 'we hate nottingham forest' song. The origin, I was told, was Alan Birchenall.
 


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