The Great British Derby

With the North London Derby fast approaching, I will (as usual) want Tottenham to win.  I can't think of one occasion when I have wanted Arsenal to beat Spurs. They are not my team, but when it comes to a derby match a part of my brain has decided that I have to have a favourite side. I just can't enjoy watching a derby unless I am in some small way attached to one of the teams.

 I think this probably stems from the fact that watching my own teams local gathering is always painful, gut wrenching agony. As soon as the full time whistle goes, and the immediate jubilation or despair has disappeared, I tend to think 'Thank God it's 6 months until we face that bunch again'.  So I want Spurs to win to give the game meaning and enjoyment, but safe in the knowledge that if Arsenal win I don't have to suffer the pain!

I then got to thinking about every derby. It turns out I am always the same. I want one team to win. I can't think of one major British derby where I don't always want the same team to win, unless it directly benefits my own team obviously!

So here's my derby list, (in no particular order) and where known my reasons for favourtism, this is usually due to one player or specific event. Think about it yourself, it's quite revealing! Capitals are the team I favour. Where I say underdog, it is not meant as offensive. It's just a fact from when I was young, it might not be true now!!!! Obviously it's not an exhaustive list. Some teams, like Millwall, would consider that they have 3 or 4 derby games, so I've just picked one, and I really can't be bothered to go through all of the random inter city rivalries just to explain why I want Swindon to beat Oxford, Cowdenbeath to despatch East Fife or Grimsby to do Lincoln!

1. Arsenal v SPURS.      Reason - Glenn Hoddle, Chris Waddle and Clive Allen
2. MAN CITY v Man Utd          City being the perennial underdog (Obviously not now!)
3. EVERTON v Liverpool           Graeme Sharp,  Anfield 1984
4. Chelsea v FULHAM                Chelsea losing to Fulham is always funny! 
5.  BLACKBURN v Burnley       Irrational favourtism to Blackburn.
6. Newcastle v SUNDERLAND    Underdog
7. Bristol City v BRISTOL ROVERS   Rovers have generally been mucked about over the years.
8. NORWICH v Ipswich        Norwich had Trevor Putney and Dale Gordon
9. CARDIFF v Swansea        I have lived near Cardiff and watched them.
10. Forest v NOTTS COUNTY                  Huge underdog
11. Aston Villa v BIRMINGHAM CITY     Villa just annoy me. Sorry.
12. WBA v Wolves                             That WBA shirt with the no smoking sign on it.
13. CELTIC v Rangers                 Rangers were winning everything at the time.
14. DUNDEE v Dundee Utd        Bobby Geddes
15. SHEFF UTD v Sheff Weds    Deane and Agana
16. Hearts v HIBS
17. Exeter v PLYMOUTH           Dave Smith
18. MILLWALL  v West Ham    Sheringham, Cascarino and Stevens
19. BLACKPOOL v Preston
20. PORT VALE v Stoke            Underdog
21. Colchester v SOUTHEND     I go and watch Southend, they are close to my inlaws! 
22. EAST STIRLINGSHIRE v Stenhousemuir    East Stirling are always crap.
23. PORTSMOUTH v The unmentionable sons of the devil...................