Local derby

In many countries the term local derby, or simply just derby (pronounced in British English as 'dar-bee' /dɑːbɪ/ and as 'der-bee' /dɚbɪ/ in North American English) means a sporting fixture between two, generally local, rivals, particularly in association football. In North America, "crosstown rivalry" is a more common term.

Contents

Origin

The phrase most likely originated from The Derby, a horse race in England, founded by the 12th Earl of Derby in 1780, since at least as early as 1840 'derby' has been used as a noun in English to denote any kind of sporting contest. A local derby is just a sporting contest between local rivals.

Another widely reported theory, though not accepted by the Oxford English Dictionary is that the phrase came about from the city of Derby itself. The traditional Shrovetide football match was also common place in the city. It was renowned as a chaotic and exuberant game which involved the whole town and often resulted in fatalities. The goals were at Nuns Mill in the north and the Gallows Balk in the south of the town, and much of the action took place in the Derwent river or Markeaton brook. Nominally the players came from All Saints' and St Peter's parishes, but in practice the game was a free-for-all with as many as 1,000 players. A Frenchman who observed the match in 1829 wrote in horror, 'if Englishmen call this play, it would be impossible to say what they call fighting'. Though this has been refuted by the Oxford dictionary and hailed as "nothing but local folklore, after all, the phrase isn't "a local Ashbourne.""[1]

Yet another theory is that the 'derby match' saying arose from when Liverpool played Everton. Their two grounds were separated by Stanley Park, owned by the Earl of Derby. This latter suggestion can be discounted, however. The Widnes Weekly News of 9 March 1889 describes a game between the (rugby) football team of that town and the touring Māori as 'the local Derby'. This usage was three years before Liverpool FC came into existence.

Another theory is that the term applies, not to the match itself but to the size of the crowd. In the early years of the twentieth century, the largest sporting crowd in England was at the annual Derby horserace meeting where in excess of half a million people would pack Epsom Downs to watch the race. At that time football matches were attended entirely by 'home' supporters - the concept of the 'away supporter' lay many years into the future as the largely working class crowds could not afford to follow their teams around the country. Supporters watched the first team and reserves who were 'at home' on alternate Saturdays. The only exception came when two teams from the same town played one-another. Then the 'home' supporters of both teams would turn up, producing the largest gate of the season. The term 'local derby' was coined by the press as an analogy to the Derby race crowd. In time the expression came to refer to the match rather than the size of the crowd.

Usage

'Derby' is commonly used to signify matches between teams in the same town or region, however historical national rivalries, such as Ajax Amsterdam v Feyenoord are sometimes also considered derbies as well as major football rivalries. Though the term is rarely applied to international matches, matches between any two of the four British national teams (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) are sometimes referred to as a "British derby", the most recent of which took place during the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying stage when England, Wales and Northern Ireland were all drawn in the same group.

The city of Derby, United Kingdom itself does not have a football rivalry within the city as there is only one major club Derby County F.C.. At one point there was a rivalry within the city between Derby County and Derby Midland, however the two clubs merged. Their main football rival is generally seen as Nottingham Forest.

Derbies usually have a much more heated atmosphere between the fans and often the players of the two clubs. For some derbies, an added source of tension between the two clubs can be political or sectarian rivalry.

An example of sectarian rivalry is in the Old Firm derby between the two leading clubs of Glasgow in Scotland. The Old Firm Derby is arguably the biggest derby match in sport, due to the profile of the clubs and their historic rivalry. It should be noted that the Old Firm normally takes place four times per season in the Scottish Premier League, thereby making it a more common fixture than other major derbies. In the matches between Celtic and Rangers, the two clubs are widely perceived as respectively representing the Catholic and Protestant populations of Glasgow.

A notable derby in recent years has been between the Istanbul rivals Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray, which in recent years has become known as the most fearsome footballing derbies in the world, mainly due to the geographical locations, being on separate continents.

International

Association football

Africa

Algeria

Cameroon

Egypt

It is the strongest Derby in the Arab region, Africa and the Middle East as a whole. Derby is considered by all the Arabs at club level because of popular clubs in the Arab region, and also because the interest of some international newspapers, and transportation on some international channels to be available for all to see.

Libya

Intercity football derbies

Tripoli football derbies

Benghazi football derbies

Morocco

Football

South Africa

Tunisia

Football

Zimbabwe

Asia

China

Georgia

Football

India

Indonesia

Football

Basketball

Iran

Football

Basketball

Volleyball

Futsal

Israel

Football

Local
Regional
Sectorial

Basketball

Handball

Japan

Jordan

Football

Basketball

Korea

Named after the hill on the South Korea National Route 1 which connects there two cities, Jijidae Derby stopped since 2004, because Anyang LG Cheetahs has relocated to Seoul and changed the name to 'FC Seoul'- an action that was heavily criticized by their fans. Their supporters have turned their back on them since.
The two teams were heavily criticized for their relocation, dubbed the "Immotals," hence the name.

Kuwait

Malaysia

Philippines

Local derbies are confined to college rivalries, since teams from the biggest professional league, the Philippine Basketball Association, represent companies, not locales.

The defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association which had teams representing locales, had some notable derbies:

Saudi Arabia

Singapore

Football

Syria

Thailand

Football

United Arab Emirates

Europe

Albania

Austria

Belgium

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bulgaria

Croatia

Czech Republic

Cyprus

Denmark

Football

Finland

Football

Ice Hockey

France

Football

Rugby union

Basketball

Handball

Germany

Football

See also:Bavarian football derbys

Handball

Ice Hockey

Greece

Hungary

Football

Újpest vs Vasas Újpest vs MTK Vasas vs MTK MTK vs Bp. Honvéd

Handball

Hockey

Iceland

Njarðvík - Keflavík (In basketball)

Ireland

Rugby union

Gaelic games

Due to the nature of the Provincial structure of Gaelic games, games within a province are considered derbies, counties often border many other counties Offaly for example is connected to eight other counties; matches against these are also considered derbies. Some of the most notable derbies are listed below.

Hurling
Gaelic football

Soccer

Italy

Football

Traditional city derbies
Regional and other derbies

Basketball

Rugby union

Lithuania

Football

Basketball

Malta

This is by far the deadliest derby on the Maltese Islands. Floriana is a suburb city of Valletta and generally Floriana fans are taunted about being the "carpet" to the capital city (Valletta). However, the Floriana supporters ('ta' l-Irish') always taunt Valletta about the fact that a few years back, Valletta was full of British and Allied Militars frequenting the city. The 'Lilywhites' (Valletta) ara also taunted because in the past there was an infamous area with lot of poverty and lack of social awareness(Mandragg). There is also a hot argument over the Mascots chosen. Ironically both clubs hold a lion as their mascot since there is a statue of a lion looking at Valletta in Floriana. However this lion was built by Manoel de Vilhena and Floriana is also known as 'Borgo Vilhena'.

These two club are the most successful on the Maltese Islands. Floriana have won 25 championships and Sliema have won 26. This rivalry was more intense in the past due to the fact that lately these clubs weren't confronting each other in decisive matches. Lately, due to Floriana's revival, this derby became more interesting and recent matches have became more interesting and fiercely fought. The last match ended in a 1-1 draw.

This is the newest Premiership derby on the Maltese Islands. Hibernians FC are by far the most successful but Tarxien are building a strong squad for the future. The 1st derby was played in the 1986-87 and resulted in a 1-0 victory for Hibernians, though the next meeting Tarxien caused an upset by winning 1-0. In the nineties they met 4 times, all resulting in a Hibernians victory. During the 2000's Hibernians won 2-0 and 7-2 in 2008-09 and 2-1 in 2009-10 and Tarxien won 1-0, 2-0 and once again 1-0 in their memorable 2009-10 season, their 1st which they finished above their rivals.

Moldova

Montenegro

Netherlands

Professional football

Amateur football

Norway

Football

Poland

Portugal

All sports:

Nationwide derbies (those involving the "Big 3")

The Struggle for who's the 4th Big Club

Any match between Belenenses v Boavista v Vitória de Guimarães v Vitória de Setúbal v Académica v S.C. Braga. Fierce struggles between Boavista v Vitória de Guimarães, Boavista v Belenenses, Vitória de Guimarães v Vitória de Setúbal and Vitória de Guimarães v Braga. Vitória de Guimarães has fierce quarrels against any team from Porto/Matosinhos, Lisbon and its own region (Minho). Boavista have since been relegated to the II Division (third tier) for financial problems.

Famous regional derbies by number of times disputed or relative historical importance:

Former 1st Division/League regional famous derbies:

Other famous derbies involving teams that used to be in the 1st tier or used to fight for it.

Romania

Russia

Serbia

Slovakia

Slovenia

Spain

Spain play Portugal in the Iberian football derby.

Sweden

Football

Ice hockey

Switzerland

Basketball

Football

Ice hockey

Turkey

Football

Men's basketball

Women's basketball

Men's volleyball

Women's volleyball

Swimming

Rowing

Ukraine

United Kingdom

North America

Canada

Costa Rica

El Salvador

Guatemala

Honduras

Mexico

Soccer

Baseball

American Football

Panama

United States

Oceania

Australia

Australian rules football

Basketball

Football

Rugby league

New Zealand

Football

Rugby union

Various sports

South America

Argentina

Bolivia

Brazil

Chile

Colombia

Classic derbies

Rivalries

Ecuador

Football

Paraguay

Peru

Uruguay

Football

Basketball

American Football

Futsal

Rugby

Venezuela

Football

Baseball

Basketball

Big Rivalries between:

References

  1. ↑ The Phrase Finder - Local Derby
  2. ↑ http://www.bundesligatalk.com/the-political-derby-radical-left-3-2-hard-right/323
  3. ↑ http://www.derbysieg.com/hansa-rostock-und-sankt-pauli-ein-politisches-derby/
  4. ↑ The Ukrainian derby

External links