Four Unheralded English Footballing Rivalries

Rivalries are one of the most intriguing aspects of English football. When two teams with a historic and deep-rooted dislike for one another face off, the drama and intensity are unmatched. Throughout the English football league pyramid, there are several such rivalries that go beyond just a game on the pitch. 

We all know the big rivalries that Sky Sports like to promote to the nines. The Merseyside Derby, North London Derby, and Manchester Derby all get plenty of airtime, and rightfully so. When it to the latter, we saw Manchester City win the coveted treble last term as they secured the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League, famously defeating Inter Milan in Istanbul to complete the set. The Blues became just the second club in the history of English football to complete the coveted feat, second only to their cross-city rivals United who won all three trophies in the 1998/99 season. 

That achievement will ensure that next season’s Manchester Derby will be as highly charged as ever before. But what about those rivalries which are less known? Rivalries that represent genuine fans and the cultural backbones of the cities they come from. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at five of the biggest rivalries in the English football league, but ones that fans of traditional ‘Big Six’ clubs may be somewhat unaware of. 

Leeds United vs. Manchester United

This rivalry dates back, stoking the fires of the famous Yorkshire vs Lancashire rivalry which was birthed centuries ago when King Henry VII famously dethroned Edward IV. With Leeds United seen as the biggest club in the White Rose country and Manchester United as the biggest in the Red Rose County, fires were always going to be stoked. However, no one could have predicted the ghastly undertones that would take root throughout the 1970s and 1980s when both clubs dominated the English football scene. 

Leeds fans would chant slogans and carry banners that brought up the Munich air disaster, in which several Manchester United players had died. United fans, in turn, would ridicule Leeds about the 1985 Valley Parade fire that led to the deaths of 56 spectators. On the pitch, the rivalry has somewhat lessened in recent years, primarily due to the plight of the Whites. 

Two years on from reaching the UEFA Champions League semifinals, Leeds were inexplicably relegated from the English topflight in 2004. They would then suffer another relegation down to the third tier some three years later. The clubs would meet in the third round of the FA Cup in the 2009/10 season, and it was the underdog League One side that triumphed courtesy of Jermaine Beckford’s famous first-half winner. 

The Yorkshire outfit were promoted back to the Premier League two years ago however, they once again suffered relegation last season, and who knows when the next time the two clubs will meet. 

Portsmouth vs. Southampton

Dubbed the “South Coast Derby”, the Portsmouth and Southampton rivalry dates back more than a century. It is not just about two teams facing off against each other; it’s about British naval history. Portsmouth was and still is an important naval base, while Southampton was and still is a commercial port. For many years, this rivalry has spilled over into fights between fans and vandalism in each other’s cities.

The clubs have hardly played against each other in recent decades. First Southampton plummeted down the pyramid while Portsmouth soared in the Premier League, even managing to win the FA Cup in 2008. In the 15 years since though, the roles have reversed, and Pompy have tumbled down the divisions while the Saints have climbed their way back up. As we approach the 2023/24 season, the two clubs are just one division apart, and regular South Coast derbies may well be on the horizon in the not-so-distant future. 

Derby County vs. Nottingham Forest

The “East Midlands Derby” brings together two teams that were once competing for the English football league title on a regular basis. This fixture was once famously dubbed the “Brian Clough Derby” after the legendary manager who enjoyed success at both clubs. The rivalry between the two sets of supporters runs deep and is only magnified by proximity. However, with two divisions separating the clubs at present, it could be some time before they regularly square off against one another. 

Sheffield United vs. Sheffield Wednesday

This rivalry is known as the “Steel City Derby”. Both clubs are in Sheffield and have a history of over 100 years. The rivalry has been stoked by the fact that Sheffield Wednesday dominated English football in the 1920s and 30s, while Sheffield United was the more successful club in the 1960s and 70s. On derby days, the city of Sheffield comes to a standstill, with friend groups and families divided into blue-and-white and red-and-white sections. 

In recent years, it’s the Blades who have enjoyed more success. They have reached three domestic cup semifinals in the last nine years and are gearing up for a return to the Premier League this summer. The Owls meanwhile have recently secured promotion back to the second tier, and they will be taking aim at their fiercest rivals in the years to come.