Letting the sparks fly

IT was out of the frying pan and into the fire for Newcastle duo, Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse, this week as they returned from a riot that resulted in an abandoned international between Senegal and the Ivory Coast into a cauldron of hate at the Stadium of Light. At least the flares and tear gas were missing from the latter.

Last weekend, unless you are an English football fanatic, you may have missed claims emanating from the North-East that they possess the greatest derby in the world.

So what makes a derby great? Does it have to be between two teams that will be fighting over silverware at the end of the season? Should it be between two teams in the same city? If you believe that these two are must-have components for a decent derby then you would be limited to Milan, London or, until this season, at least, Glasgow.

This weekend saw two London teams produce some stunning touches in a six-goal thriller. Yet neither set of fans from Tottenham or Chelsea would argue that this is their most important fixture in London, or one that contains the fiercest rivalry. Some cities, it seems, have simply too many top clubs, taking the edge off these fixtures.

Also consider Manchester. While the recent fixtures have had added significance with the improved performance and corresponding threat from City, many United fans would claim their most bitter rivalry is with either Liverpool or Leeds United. I do note that City fans may dispute the presence of another top team within the technical boundary marking the city limits.

Well, the first North-East derby of the season at the Stadium of Light had none of these. It is never a game for the purist, unless you happen to finish on the winning team in which case the rose-tinted glasses can ensure reminiscing over the finer points of the match can take on a somewhat enchanting quality.

Yet Davide Santon, Newcastle’s left-back, believes that the game at the Stadium of Light surpassed anything he ever experienced playing in Milan. The former Inter defender said: “The Milan derby is a very important game but not like this one. Here there is more rivalry, everybody in the region thinks about the game, it’s fantastic.”

Ryan Taylor, another defender who sees the game in black and white, was winding up the Sunderland faithful ahead of the game, claiming that none of the home team would even make it onto the Magpies’ reserve team. Perhaps Taylor, as a Geordie who has risen through the academy ranks, believes he is a standard-bearer for the Toon.

Asked whether this derby was the most passionate in the country, he replied: “When I warm up the veins in the fans’ neck are popping like I have done something to their family!”

That may have had something to do with the tracksuits they wore in the last game that paid tribute to his match-winning free-kick ‘over the wall’ in the derby the previous season. 

And that was just one goal. Gary Rowell is still idolised and ‘never has to buy a drink’ in the city centre having scored a hat-trick in the corresponding fixture 30 years earlier!

Across the region tensions build and friendships become strained. It’s all standard fare before and after derby-week. Perhaps, with nothing else to play for, a derby with regional supremacy at stake produces an all-or nothing scenario for the season. This may be a little harsh on Newcastle who boast genuine aspirations in the cups and hope to qualify for Europe.

Derbies are rarely games for the purist. Bone-crunching tackles, brutal aerial challenges and high-octane, fully-committed football is the norm. Such games are typically a throw-back to the games on muddy pitches and heavy, sodden leather balls from 50 years ago.

So, if it’s not same city rivalry or trophies at stake that are the main recipe, perhaps, it’s the history? 

While they are only 15 miles apart, the people of Newcastle and Sunderland have been at odds over natural resources and trade for more than 400 years. In 1644 they even went to war against each other at the Battle of Boldon Hill. This pre-dates football itself by several hundred years – at least in the format we currently know the game.

The industries and political disputes have left. The lack of relative wealth in both areas now fuels the pressure on the footballers to bring some cheer to their respective cities, leading some to claim that the rivalry is even getting stronger year by year.

In addition to the history, perhaps it is also what it means to the fans – not just the hardened season ticket holders, but also the casual fan. Former Sunderland defender, Chris Makin, claimed that after winning at St James’ Park in 1999 and 2000 he was a ‘God for a week’ and ‘mobbed in the streets’. A victory, no matter how it is obtained, gives the whole city a lift. Everyone celebrates.

Sunday’s meeting was the 147th encounter between the two sides. Sunderland’s failure to beat Newcastle’s 10 men stretches their disappointing home record to one win in 16 matches – when they were playing at Roker Park in 1980 in Division Two.

Without Lee Cattermole it was left to Cheick Tiote to receive the game’s first red card – after just 25 minutes. Remarkably, Sunderland did not receive a single booking.

At least the aggro remained on the pitch. Two nights before, in a derby with little at stake, Leeds fans reminded those of a certain generation that tribal thuggery can be inherited as one ‘fan’, after invading the pitch with others, assaulted the Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper, Chris Kirkland. And, before people complain that it was an isolated incident, the vile chanting throughout the game and bottle throwing on the terraces have no place in the modern game.

Ironically, the result of both games was a 1-1 draw. The bragging rights remain unclaimed.

For me the best derby has to have intense rivalry based on a must-win situation and competitive teams playing at the top of their game. Yet the spiciest ingredient has to be history; horrible history.

And then there’s international derbies. Some of these are considered so important, where the inter-country rivalry is just so intense, that a manager could lose his job over defeat ... even in a ‘friendly’. Well, I know of one occasion when that’s happened...