"It's not a Derby!"

[Dangermouth]

We only have one local rivalry. A local derby and a local rivalry are not the same thing.

 

Most dictionaries define a derby as "a football match between two teams from the same area".

 

Arsenal v QPR is a derby

Bristol Rovers v Yeovil is a derby

Barcelona v Espanyol is a derby

 

In each case they're not each others major local rivals, but that doesn't mean they're not derby matches.

 

FWIW - I actually disagree that Brighton is a derby match, but that's because I don't think 65 miles apart can be counted as particularly "local".

 

Saints v Bournemouth is a local derby.

 

Well they're in different counties. Perhaps area just means European Economic Area? In which case I very much look forward to our next derby with Olympiakos and MK Dons' rivalry, sorry 'derby' with Sassuolo. Bit tasty that one. Given the size of England and how it's evolved it seems quite reasonable to restrict the word 'local' to within 30-35 miles. Outside of that they, whoever 'they' are, probably have another team that's closer, have no history or connection, have webbed feet and hands and all the other stuff that means it's just another game against another team.

 

It's probably more of a rivalry than a derby and one, they have a problem with Crystal Palace far more than they do with us even with recent history, two they're a nothing of a club relatively speaking so why would we want to be rivals with something far beneath us that couldn't in any way compete with us? Which is why we no longer have a rivalry with anyone, just a sensible distrust of fish from the East.

[Badger]

 

It's probably more of a rivalry than a derby and one, they have a problem with Crystal Palace far more than they do with us even with recent history, two they're a nothing of a club relatively speaking so why would we want to be rivals with something far beneath us that couldn't in any way compete with us? Which is why we no longer have a rivalry with anyone, just a sensible distrust of fish from the East.

 

I think part of the problem is Brighton looking for a derby/rival to get worked up about. There is a mutual loathing between Brighton & Palace which I understand stems from the 1970's but I suspect that Palace are more concerned with other South London rivalries than BHA. That leaves the poor Seagulls - (amuses me that they have such a borrowed nickname rather than anything historic after they tried to reinvent themselves years ago) - looking for anyone who wants a rivalry. Look to the west and their closest neighbour is preoccupied with us to give a Sh!t about them. Look to the east, and ... how far is Gillingham ? Too far.

 

I did read that in the 1970's BHA & Bournemouth worked up a great deal of friction in the days of John Bond & Ted MacDougall but presume that has petered out.

 

As others have also said, I've no real gripe with BHA , and as with most Saints fans have a soft spot for Boscombe.

[Lets B Avenue]

and ... how far is Gillingham ? Too far.

 

 

Not so far that they couldn't play their home games there in the late 90's.

[krissyboy31]

A proper derby is 2 teams in the same city, so until we play Sholing, we ain't got one!!