League of Hate

[valefan16]

Interesting! Vale as expected although Burton at 5 seems to be a surprising one! Macc have us at 2 despite us not even listing them and of course Crewe hate us the most!

The historical Vale-Walsall rivalry still has both in 4th whilst the more recent beef with Shrewsbury is still in the memory.

Outside the league Stoke hate us the most with Crewe surprisingly not even making their hate list and the biggest surprise is that Burton rank Vale as their biggest rivals.

 

[valefan16]

Other leagues:

 

[TimeyWimey]

Mutual 5th rivals with Tranmere and 4th rivals with Shrewsbury. Definitely not a thing.

We’re Salford’s 4th rivals. I mean, wtf.

 

[Semi-skimmed Silk]

The real answers for us are non-league si weren't an option I guess? Salford's purely based on geography and then the 1 team they've actually played before this year.

 

[Blue Lion]

Needs to include non league teams to show a lot of the smaller teams' actual rivals. Our top two should probably be Altrincham and Stockport.

 

[Si Robin]

Agreed - ours would be Gloucester followed by FGR, then Hereford I'd imagine. Kiddy would also be ahead of the Bristol clubs.

 

[UTS]

Other leagues:

It’s all opinions, but I don’t kmow which fans they asked for half of those rivalries.

We’re Macclesfield’s 3rd rival apparently despite no animosity between the two clubs whatsoever.

Needs to include non-league teams to be far more accurate...

Macclesfields traditional rivals are Altrincham and Wycombe’s are Slough. Cheltenham/Gloucester etc.

Not sure why Oldham are ranked higher than us as Bolton’s rivals either.

For us it’s:

Bolton
Rochdale

They are the two genuine rivals, then you’ve got York City as a historic rival, then Oldham as a local rival, but one we’ve only been battling with reguralrly in the last decade...

Tranmere seems to be a newly emerging one due to gaining two promotions there are the relative proximity.

 

[Conker]

Mansfield have one true rivalry and one true local derby and neither are on this due to the fact we are significantly better than both

 

[WilsdenBantam]

If it’s on modern times then I’m surprised Oldham are on there. Thought either Rotherham or Millwall would be, especially after Millwall ruined our season two years on the spin. In fact I’ve found Bury a more dodgy away day than Oldham, been started on outside Gigg lane and had coins chucked at me inside the ground. Never been so much as looked at at Oldham. Interesting how fans see things though.

 

[Sydney Posse]

I'm surprised how many times Cheltenham are mentioned, I thought they would have been a non entity aside from FGR

 

[PaulHaddock]

I mean we’re rivals of Hull but no way are they our top rivals, at least 3rd or 4th.

 

[Gassy]

Agreed - ours would be Gloucester followed by FGR, then Hereford I'd imagine. Kiddy would also be ahead of the Bristol clubs.

Tbf, do you really hate Gloucester? They're such a low team, I'd be surprised that they're even on your radar?

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Mine would be Stoke first, Vale second (just the era I started supporting us in, I'll never hate Vale like I hate Stoke) but after that it's a toss up and it doesn't help that our traditional rivals are now pretty much established in non league. I don't see Macc, Tranmere and Shrewsbury as fierce rivals. In fact, I actually like the former two I've mentioned there as clubs.

We never played Macclesfield in a league game until 2009 so I can't see how it's a rivalry except that we're both in Cheshire and that's about it. On the other hand, Tranmere are the club we've played more than any other in the Football League so I'd regard it as a long-term friendly rivalry and nothing more. Tranmere tend to have their eyes on the Greater Manchester clubs whereas we've had our eyes on The Potteries for rivalries in the last 20 years. Shrewsbury were the local whipping boys you almost felt sorry for when I started supporting Crewe and were our feeder club for many years and sold us a fair few duds even if Dave Walton was good for us. Until the last 10 years, league games between ourselves and Shrewsbury were very few and far between, so they're just not rivals. They've come a long long way from their non league season though, so they deserve credit for the way their club has transformed in those years.

If it included non league clubs I'd absolutely put Stockport third for sending us down in 2009 only for us to consign them to the non league two years later. We've hardly had league games with Chester and Wrexham but if we were to play each other regularly again, I believe a rivalry of some sort would resume. Chester were our traditional rivals for many many years, and the Anglo-Welsh dimension means ourselves and Wrexham would resume a decent rivalry that has been dormant for so long.

 

[Crewelad87]

Mine would be Stoke first, Vale second (just the era I started supporting us in, I'll never hate Vale like I hate Stoke) but after that it's a toss up and it doesn't help that our traditional rivals are now pretty much established in non league. I don't see Macc, Tranmere and Shrewsbury as fierce rivals. In fact, I actually like the former two I've mentioned there as clubs.

We never played Macclesfield in a league game until 2009 so I can't see how it's a rivalry except that we're both in Cheshire and that's about it. On the other hand, Tranmere are the club we've played more than any other in the Football League so I'd regard it as a long-term friendly rivalry and nothing more. Tranmere tend to have their eyes on the Greater Manchester clubs whereas we've had our eyes on The Potteries for rivalries in the last 20 years. Shrewsbury were the local whipping boys you almost felt sorry for when I started supporting Crewe and were our feeder club for many years and sold us a fair few duds even if Dave Walton was good for us. Until the last 10 years, league games between ourselves and Shrewsbury were very few and far between, so they're just not rivals. They've come a long long way from their non league season though, so they deserve credit for the way their club has transformed in those years.

If it included non league clubs I'd absolutely put Stockport third for sending us down in 2009 only for us to consign them to the non league two years later. We've hardly had league games with Chester and Wrexham but if we were to play each other regularly again, I believe a rivalry of some sort would resume. Chester were our traditional rivals for many many years, and the Anglo-Welsh dimension means ourselves and Wrexham would resume a decent rivalry that has been dormant for so long.

I have a very similar view, grew up watching the Crewe Vs Stoke games so probably marginally dislike them more plus you get plenty of Stoke fans that live in Crewe whereas Vale fans are alot more rare in these parts. Only ever been to one competitive game Vs Wrexham or Chester and that was a football league trophy game Vs Chester, so hard to have any feeling against them but I understand the rivalry from storys from others. I don't see a rivalry with Macc at all. They're just a friendly non league type club. Infact I root for them to do well. Tranmere and Shrewsbury games have a little needle, as do games Vs Stockport who id also place just after the clayhead pair.

 

[Buxton Vale]

Chester and Wrexham would be bigger rivals for us historically than Shrewsbury.

 

[Gladders]

I mean we’re rivals of Hull but no way are they our top rivals, at least 3rd or 4th.

Only because we haven't played them in so long, they even have us down as second.

 

[OhGodGlovePuppet]

Wouldn't really consider Luton our second rival anymore, usually Northampton have that honour. Then Col U, Orient and a few others. We played Luton too many times in a short space of time but I don't think anyone is particularly arsed now.

 

[Si Robin]

Tbf, do you really hate Gloucester? They're such a low team, I'd be surprised that they're even on your radar?

It's not just football though - the two places have a rivalry with each other and always have done. Whilst City are so low (albeit only two divisions below us) they are the only team that most Town fans have a vehement hatred of - especially those in their late 30s and older who remember proper derby games from the mid-90s.

If you were to ask people in their teens and, arguably, early 20s, then they'd probably go with FGR now, but for most of us they're another Rushden, someone to hate whilst we have no games with our true rival.

 

[shoddycollins]

I wonder if Barnet still rank us in their top 5.

Middlesbrough's a funny one because they have us as their 5th rival but other than a friendly some years back I can't remember us ever playing them, and have never heard a bad word said about them on the terraces. The 69% of Carlisle fans who named Boro won't have done so with the same certainty and feeling as the smaller percentage of Grimsby fans who named Lincoln yet if you read the percentages as being measures of the strength of feelings, as I'm sure many people will, you'd think it was saying we feel a stronger rivalry with 'Boro than Grimsby do with Lincoln.

If tiny little insignficant non-league clubs were allowed I'm certain that we'd have ranked Hartlepool in 1st and maybe Darlo in 2nd if people can still remember who they are. Hartlepool would probably rank us either 2nd behind Darlo or third behind 'Boro, assuming they haven't developed some super-intense rivalry with Ebbsfleet or wherever in their time down there.

 

[Limerick Mariner]

Only because we haven't played them in so long, they even have us down as second.

Interesting, thanks to Valefan 16. Historically, it is correct, Hull are number one. We've hardly played them in the last 50 years though. We've missed them as we've both gone up and down the leagues but the rivalry wasn't just football it was fish. Sweet and succulent Gy haddock compared to filthy Hull cod - only fit to be eaten by yorkie miners and steelworkers...

Lincoln really should be number 2 IMHO - history again the rivalry goes back to both clubs being founder members of Division 2 (the first league clubs called Town and City as well). They have us down as their no. 1 (odd, however, that they didn't fill the away end at Blundell Park in 50 years until the Cowleys, although we missed their great 70s hoofball seasons under Graham Taylor)

Scunthorpe are really just Jonny come lately interlopers.

Barnsley above Donny is an interesting one - its nearly 30 miles further away but there certainly used to be a dockers v miners on the terraces thing.

 

[Greenacres]

For us it would be either Shortwood, the other big team in Nailsworth, or Gloucester City...we seem to have developed a healthy disliking for a number of league sides of late, mainly those who have also been promoted to the League fairly recently.

I've just been out cleaning my car and had a conversation with my next door neighbour who is a Cheltenham Town fan, even he said that their supporters were pretty ambivalent to us, as we are to them. Not sure how Bristol City ever made it on to that list, we have played them a handful of times in pre-season friendlies, not enough to develop a rivalry, in reality the opposite is probably true given the number of players who have moved between the two clubs.

Some of the names look like they have been picked at random just to make the numbers up, Crawley and Burnley, Exeter and Lincoln, Plymouth and Wycombe...not even close to each other!

 

[JJ1532]

I think I'm different to a lot of Crewe fans in that I don't even dislike Stoke. To be proper rivals, I feel you have to be similar sizes, or at least from the same city like 2 the Bristol's etc. But I admire what their ownership has achieved. Sure, they have some arsehole fans who got way too used to PL life, but I don't find them anywhere near as detestable as Vale fans. Maybe I needed to go to a few games at the Britannia in years gone by.

A lot of these lists just feel like random picks. Just seems like a lot were picked simply on geographical proximity. Also seems weird to not include conference clubs. Wrexham, Chester, Stockport, Notts County, Barnet, Chesterfield, plus a few more. I'm having plenty of these clubs would figure on a few lists.

I mean, going down the list, Carlisle's is just hilarious. Boro, Newcastle and Sunderland? Seriously? Crawley's 5th main rivals are Burnley?! Oldham fans hate Man Utd the most? I doubt that. Ahead of Rochdale and Bury? Do me a favour. Salford's list, how do you even gauge that?

There is no way any fans were consulted for this list, surely? And the terminology is awful. Saying you hate a club doesn't make them rivals.

 

[AdamStag]

Mansfield have one true rivalry and one true local derby and neither are on this due to the fact we are significantly better than both

It did take me a while to realise why they weren’t there.

Then realised it didn’t contain NON-LEAGUE sides

 

[Big Bird]

Personally for me Bristol City aren't far behind Oxford at all. Dislike Rovers and Reading but not on the same scale.

 

[The Terminator]

West Ham will always be our natural rivals as we're from the same part of East London, sadly these days we haven't played them in a competitive game since Boxing Day 1986 - Which we won, its unlikely we'll ever play them in a league game again. A shame as all the Orient old boys used to love it when we played them.

These days we make do with Southend United and Brentford before they again overtook and outgrew us.

We had a good rivalry with Cambridge for a few years in the mid to late 90's after we poached their manager and a few of their players.

 

[Gassy]

It's not just football though - the two places have a rivalry with each other and always have done. Whilst City are so low (albeit only two divisions below us) they are the only team that most Town fans have a vehement hatred of - especially those in their late 30s and older who remember proper derby games from the mid-90s.

If you were to ask people in their teens and, arguably, early 20s, then they'd probably go with FGR now, but for most of us they're another Rushden, someone to hate whilst we have no games with our true rival.

Fair enough, I didn't realise you used to play them. I always thought you were much higher up than them.

I put this on our forum and most are surprised to see yourselves there (as am I). I'd suggest that Plymouth should take your place.

It's sad for us this season though that we're not on a single L1 list, whilst we're in 5 in L2 & 2 in the Championship, possibly 3 if Swansea were there

 

[Chief Rocka]

If tiny little insignficant non-league clubs were allowed I'm certain that we'd have ranked Hartlepool in 1st and maybe Darlo in 2nd if people can still remember who they are. Hartlepool would probably rank us either 2nd behind Darlo or third behind 'Boro, assuming they haven't developed some super-intense rivalry with Ebbsfleet or wherever in their time down there.

Nice try daft lad.

Says it all about your clubs insignificance to everyone else when your 5 'rivals' are three massive clubs you've never played competitively since pussy was a kitten, Preston who you don't even feature in their list and fucking Morecambe

Glad you're still thinking of us though!

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

I think I'm different to a lot of Crewe fans in that I don't even dislike Stoke. To be proper rivals, I feel you have to be similar sizes, or at least from the same city like 2 the Bristol's etc. But I admire what their ownership has achieved. Sure, they have some arsehole fans who got way too used to PL life, but I don't find them anywhere near as detestable as Vale fans. Maybe I needed to go to a few games at the Britannia in years gone by.

A lot of these lists just feel like random picks. Just seems like a lot were picked simply on geographical proximity. Also seems weird to not include conference clubs. Wrexham, Chester, Stockport, Notts County, Barnet, Chesterfield, plus a few more. I'm having plenty of these clubs would figure on a few lists.

I mean, going down the list, Carlisle's is just hilarious. Boro, Newcastle and Sunderland? Seriously? Crawley's 5th main rivals are Burnley?! Oldham fans hate Man Utd the most? I doubt that. Ahead of Rochdale and Bury? Do me a favour. Salford's list, how do you even gauge that?

There is no way any fans were consulted for this list, surely? And the terminology is awful. Saying you hate a club doesn't make them rivals.

To me, the Vale thing was just another game until Miller scored that dodgy penalty we should never have been awarded and ruined their season 10 years ago. Stoke were the prized scalp of the era. The arrogance they used to have before playing us and the absolute fume we caused when we beat them lived long in the memory. "We should be beating teams like Crewe.". Before Stoke got to the PL, they were just has-beens who thought they were bigger than they were, and that's why I loved playing them. It was our biggest scalp and you'll also find it was often amongst their biggest attendances of the season during the mid 2000s. For a short time in that era, I reckon after Vale they hated us more than any other club. In my eyes, a rivalry doesn't necessarily have to be reciprocated, but I firmly believe that it was reciprocated at its peak. But I do get what you're saying, there's a fair few Crewe fans who respect Stoke for their PL exploits but I was one of those who wanted them relegated every single season they were in the Premier League. It's why I'm finding their current plight absolutely hilarious right now.

If you ask Oldham fans over the age of 35 I'm pretty sure they absolutely despise Manchester United for costing them two trips to FA Cup Finals as well as several league meetings between the pair in the early 90s. But the rest is mad. Don't think Carlisle have played any of the North East big 3 in the league since the 80s, and Crawley and Burnley have never even played a league game against one another so I don't know where that one's come from either...

 

[Limerick Mariner]

It's not just football though - the two places have a rivalry with each other and always have done. Whilst City are so low (albeit only two divisions below us) they are the only team that most Town fans have a vehement hatred of - especially those in their late 30s and older who remember proper derby games from the mid-90s.

If you were to ask people in their teens and, arguably, early 20s, then they'd probably go with FGR now, but for most of us they're another Rushden, someone to hate whilst we have no games with our true rival.

Surely the city of Gloucester's real rivals are Bath...

 

[Limerick Mariner]

It did take me a while to realise why they weren’t there.

Then realised it didn’t contain NON-LEAGUE sides

I'm surprised Lincoln rank above Doncaster given the early 80s history...?