The Biggest Derby

[willywombat]

1. Celtic v FC Skint
2. River v Boca
3. Barca v Real Madrid
4. Panathinaikos v Olympiacos (burn the port)
5. Fenerbahce v Galatasaray

All the teams I favour listed first.

Barca v Real Madrid's not a derby though is it? Ok it's a big game but that's like calling Man U v Chelsea a derby

[TopDeck113]

Barca-Real Madrid a derby?  Really?  The two cities are 300 miles apart! Fierce rivalry? Yes. Derby? No.

A derby is a game played between two teams from the same town or city.  I can also accept that being extended to a wider, yet distinct geographical region, e.g. in this country, Newcastle-Sunderland, Norwich-Ipswich, Southampton-Portsmouth.  Beyond that it fails to be a derby.

So to answer the question. 

England?  Probably at this moment Man Utd - City

UK?  Rangers-Celtic

As for the rest of the world, there's too many to choose from, but what I've seen of Boca-River Plate is something approaching war.

[Marlon From Bearwood]

1. Celtic v FC Skint
2. River v Boca
3. Barca v Real Madrid
4. Panathinaikos v Olympiacos (burn the port)
5. Fenerbahce v Galatasaray

All the teams I favour listed first.

Barca v Real Madrid's not a derby though is it? Ok it's a big game but that's like calling Man U v Chelsea a derby

In Spain, the word "Derby" has no geographical meaning, it just means "Big Game". Hence El Classico is also referred to as the Derby.

[olaftab]

I'd go for Boca v River. Always wanted to go to the la bombonera

If we are only talking football than there is no point in talking about anything other than  this Boca Juniors v River Plate. That  is the biggest derby without any doubt. Unfortunately River Plate are struggling in the B division  this season so  Boca fans have to resort to fighting with either Argentinos Juniors or All Boys supporters.

[Chico Hamilton III]

I also think the millwall west ham games are overrated, it will die down when they've played each other a few times and its only big because of films like green street anyways

Now that's absolute nonsense.

Rivalry between East London and Sarf East London pre-dates football. Are you saying that Millwall and West Ham have only been rivals since a few recent hooligan films?

[TopDeck113]

In Spain, the word "Derby" has no geographical meaning, it just means "Big Game". Hence El Classico is also referred to as the Derby.

I don't think we should use that as the definition, otherwise we'll end up with examples, just like in American sports, where the participants come from cities hundreds, if not thousands of miles apart.

[midnite]

I've been to the Roma vs lazio derby.

That was an eye opener!!

[Dave]

In Spain, the word "Derby" has no geographical meaning, it just means "Big Game". Hence El Classico is also referred to as the Derby.

I don't think we should use that as the definition, otherwise we'll end up with examples, just like in American sports, where the participants come from cities hundreds, if not thousands of miles apart.

It's known as El derbi Espaņol. I think that's a pretty good reason to refer to it as a derby.

[Marlon From Bearwood]

There's a good book called "Us V Them" that I read a few years ago which is well worth a read. Its written by an English guy who travels the world going to several derbies. From memory I think the Boca/River one was the most memorable, but he also went to Glasgow, Prague, North London (Sol Campbells first derby for Arsenal!), and El Classico (Figo's first derby for Real when he had a Pig's head thrown at him).

At the above game at the Nou Camp, FC Barcelona provided every fan (approx 90,000) with a whistle to blow whenever Figo touched the ball!!

[The Laughing Policeman]

Nothing beats it for noise and atmosphere.

[cdbearsfan]

A few years back in the NatWest Cup, Derbyshire County Cricket Club played Derbyshire Cricket Board in a Derbys derby in Derby.

[TopDeck113]

In Spain, the word "Derby" has no geographical meaning, it just means "Big Game". Hence El Classico is also referred to as the Derby.

I don't think we should use that as the definition, otherwise we'll end up with examples, just like in American sports, where the participants come from cities hundreds, if not thousands of miles apart.

It's known as El derbi Espaņol. I think that's a pretty good reason to refer to it as a derby.

The word and the sentiment behind the word might be similar, but it doesn't mean I have to accept it as being the same.  Just as most right thinking Castilian or Catalan would look at what we in England describe on menus up and down the land as 'tapas' and feel that both their language and cultural heritage had been bastardised.

Sorry they might call it a derby, but a derby it ain't. 

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_derby

[cdbearsfan]

Got to be Celtic v Rangers.

They both run from Clyde.

[The Laughing Policeman]

Got to be Celtic v Rangers.

They both run from Clyde.

So would you. Did you ever see Clyde Best play? He was bloody enormous.