Who are Aston Villa's Rivals?

[Chris Harte]

Only historical incident I can think of between Villa and Leeds was the beer* fight at the Green Man near Wembley before the 1996 League Cup Final.

*The beer was still in the bottles.

[Smirker]

I don't feel like we have any in terms of direct competition from locals.

Blues and Baggies will feel its them but they're too shit for me to feel the same. It's like Barcelona and Espanyol. So one sided you just think what is the point? We're a Rottweiler and they are little Chihuahuas trying to start fights with us.

For me it's the Sky 6. I don't give a shit about anyone else really. But I absolutely seethe at the Sky 6.

[pauliewalnuts]

I grew up in South Brum so literally never met an Albion fan, they had about as much relevance as Wolves, ie none. It's always been Blues I loathe.

Obviously, that doesn't mean i don't join in with the entire ground singing Fuck The Albion when we play them, but they just don't matter to me anywhere near as much as posters from the other side of the city.

[Monty]

Wolves are clearly the second team of the region. Blues are strange little malcontents, hating us is kind of their raison d'etre.

But I'm with Smirker, I only really hate the aristocratic clubs, and even then not at all equally, but in direct order of how much I think they're responsible for destroying the game.

[Grocer]

Growing up near Solihull in the 80s and 90s Blues were the team I hated, even though we hardly every payed them - mainly due to a minority of mates at school supporting them. Whilst I still can't stand them (mainly because of a hatred for us being their primary reason for existing), I increasingly despise fans of the 'big 6 etc.' more than any of our local rivals. Although I feel a bit sick saying it, I have a lot more respect for fans of Blues and Albion than Brummie Reds etc.

[Nev]

I hate all other clubs, this stops me from joining Fantasy Leagues, betting on football and enjoying the game in any way at all if we are not doing well. That said, apart from perhaps MKD, I wouldn't like to see any of them go bust.

But the Rags are a special case, were they to vanish I would be delighted, they only prevail because we do. Any measure of their scummy little club has to be compared to ours, everything is seen through a prism of hatred for us. Their twisted view of following a football club appears almost unique, from their owners through the players to their indolent, violent supporters it's all about us. From ridiculous statements, footballs signed with SOTV, and professional players making obscene gestures to us and wearing obscene t shirts about us, to "that" diary, various fantasies about support and shouting at a shop window, the end of their presence in the football world would be mourned by very few, and certainly not by me.

[chrisw1]

Only historical incident I can think of between Villa and Leeds was the beer* fight at the Green Man near Wembley before the 1996 League Cup Final.

*The beer was still in the bottles.

I wasn't at the Green Man, but around the ground I felt that day was pretty good natured, with some decent banter and lots of mutual dislike of Man Utd.

[SamTheMouse]

I hate all other clubs,

This.

May as well close the thread now, tbh.

[PaulTheVillan]

Personally.

Tier 1 - SHA
Tier 2 - Wolves & WBA
Tier 3 - The rest.

[Chico Hamilton III]

Only historical incident I can think of between Villa and Leeds was the beer* fight at the Green Man near Wembley before the 1996 League Cup Final.

*The beer was still in the bottles.

I wasn't at the Green Man, but around the ground I felt that day was pretty good natured, with some decent banter and lots of mutual dislike of Man Utd.

We were out and about in London the night before the Leeds final and everywhere was crawling with Leeds fans who were enjoying their first big final for a while. A bit like we were 2 years earlier. We were lucky to get out of one pub in Camden unscathed, being the only Villa fans in the place.

I hate every club we play - while we’re playing them - but it’s Albion and Blues who I really don’t like. My WhatsApp messages last Sunday night only confirmed that.

[Drummond]

Having grown up in North Yorkshire, after moving from Brum when I was 9, Leeds were the local team. So I hate them.

I also hate Liverpool, because that was the gloryhunter's team of choice back then. ManUtd attract such a bunch of knobs that anyone that has a soft spot for them needs sorting.

As for the rest, I don't care. Many see themselves as rivals I think, but to me they are also-rans. Newcastle, Leeds, Everton and Tottenham all like to think they are as big. But for various reasons they aren't (Everton aren't even the biggest in their own city FFS).

Having been in Sheffield for nearly 20 years now I have a soft spot for the Blades as the nearest ground to home (less than a mile) and in-laws. But don't really care how they do.

As for the other Midlands clubs, I like the atmosphere of matchday, I like that we have the biggest and best of everything, but I really hate the fact we've won fuck all for such a long, long time.

[chrisw1]

Local Rivalry - Blues, West Brom, Wolves
Sporting Rivals - closest clubs to us in stature are Newcastle, Everton, Leeds & Spurs

[AV82EC]

There is no rivalry with either Leeds or
Newcastle just a load of shitposting and bantz on social media whenever the fixtures come around. I used to hate the amount of media everyone’s 2nd club, Kevin Keegan, Geordie Nation jizz about Newcastle back in the day as yet again they won fuck all but realised most Newcastle fans were as sick of it as the rest of us.

I’m with others in that I pretty much don’t like any other club, will make exceptions if I think they deserve it.

All that said I have a particular completely unjustified loathing of Wimbledon from the late 80s and early 90s which hasn’t faded in the last 30 odd years. I’m one of the few people who hope MK Dons thrive as a lower division club because I know how much it pisses off Wimbledon fans. Petty, yes but still makes me smile.

[Monty]

Environment makes a big difference. I never liked Juve, but since moving here they've climbed a billion rungs on my Ladder of Hate.

[Smirker]

Local Rivalry - Blues, West Brom, Wolves
Sporting Rivals - closest clubs to us in stature are Newcastle, Everton, Leeds & Spurs

Leeds and Spurs don't deserve to be grouped in with us.

If Spurs were from any other city than London they wouldn't be as high profile as they are. The idea that they are Big 6 is preposterous. They're London's version of Wolves/West Brom.

Two league titles 

And Leeds aren't any bigger.

Just my (factual) opinion