DERBY DAZE

Derby days: the happiest daze of your life? As Sunday’s clash looms over the north east, freelance football writer David Collins contemplates some other famous local rivalries; some not so local.

Most football fans in the UK recognise the north east as a hotbed of football. From the days of Wor Jackie, the Charlton Clan, Wallsend Boys Club, Raich Carter, Stokoe and Jim Montgomery, through to the modern heroes and super stadiums we now enjoy; this rivalry is special. If you live in Durham or Devon, you know that.

But where does this clash of the titans sit alongside other derby delights? Let’s look at the candidates.

THE OLD FIRM

Many pundits would agree that the Celtic/Rangers animosity is top of this particular tree. Religious rivalry, two clubs sharing the same city, famous kits and iconic images. When people talk about rivalry, this one is probably the alpha and omega of their debate. But there are others.

THE AULD ENEMY

This is an interesting one. The oldest international fixture in existence, it conjures up images of swirling pipes, a forest of flags and dressing room banter in club dressing rooms across the land.

But does it mean more to the Scots than the Three Lions? Witness the McGlee at famous Scottish victories in the 60s and 70s. Celebrations which seem to last to this day. Yet, aside from Gazza’s glorious goal in 1996, we seem to hear little of it all south of the border. The relatively few number of Scots now occupying dominant positions for club sides in England may also have affected the spirit of these clashes.

Some rivalries also seem matter more to one side than the other. England v Wales is huge for Welsh, but fails to stir the English blood, as we saw from the muted atmosphere at Wembley for the 2025 clash.

ETERNAL DERBIES

Local rivalry is not just a British thing of course. Check out Bocca Juniors v River Plate, Red Star Belgrade v Partizan or, of course, Real Madrid v Barcelona, though the extent to which that counts as “local” is open to discussion. Brazil v Argentina is probably the top international rivalry, just ahead of Germany v the Netherlands. England v Germany too, of course.

SO WHAT MAKES A DERBY?

It’s hard to say. There are many consistent features. Some, like the Merseyside Derby or Villa v Blues, establish bragging rights with a single city. Others, like Cardiff City v Swansea City, Pompey v Saints or Ipswich Town v Norwich City, are contested across wider landscapes. Many are rarely played these days, such as City v Rovers in Bristol, but that does not weaken the status of the rivalry. Swansea City host Wrexham this month. Is that a derby? Nah.

The rules don’t always work of course. I’m not sure I would describe, say, Fulham v Charlton Athletic as a derby, but I am able to recognise the ferocity of Palace v Brighton, Liverpool v Man United or arguably even Sunderland v Coventry City, which is a more bitter relationship than many outsiders might appreciate. West Ham v Millwall is “tasty” too.

AND FINALLY….

Lastly, almost all derby relationships are assigned a witty and interesting title. The Old Firm, the Eternal Derby etc.

Perhaps the best known is El Classico, used to describe the clashes between Real and Barca. The Old Farm Derby anyone? Norwich/Ipswich. The Donkey Derby? Plymouth Argyle v Exeter City, though I may have made that one up.

In 2024 I was fortunate enough to cover LA Galaxy v LAFC on 4 July. Gridlock traffic conditions across Los Angeles have led to the title El Tráfico for that one!

Make no mistake, the north east derby stands on a par with all of the above. Two local teams, passionate fans, classic kits, history, even bitterness. Middlesbrough can’t really intrude on this, however they might wish to.

So, who am I backing in this? Hmmm…

Let’s say, I’m backing the team in stripes!