Love Thy Neighbour

"The Bible tells us to love our neighbours, and also to love our enemies; probably because they are generally the same people"
G.K Chesterton

On Sunday, fierce Lancashire rivals Blackburn Rovers and Burnley will meet for the first time for four years. It will be the first time they've met in the top flight since 1966. Whoever wins will be able to hold their head up high and bound into work on Monday morning; the loser will most likely stay in bed. Only one thing is certain on derby day, and that is that the atmosphere inside the ground will be the equivalent of a gladiatorial theatre. Andy Mitten, author of 'Mad for It', an excellent book about derby matches, says that the 'buzz is indescribable' on derby days. I whole-heartedly agree, but then again, the sick feeling in the pit of my stomach is probably 'indescribable'. But why do we have such a loathing for our 'neighbours'? Is it serious, or is it just a silly squabble over nothing?

I have never been too fond of derby days myself. The memories are always far better than the games themselves. In recent times, our big derby against Aston Villa has been a scrappy affair, settled by poor defending or heat-of-the-moment issues. I was recently asked to explain why I feel such a loathing towards our local rivals. Only silence came out of my mouth, occasionally interspersed with a few inaudible cries of rage and frustration. I felt a bit silly, really. I have nothing against the fans for 364 days a year. I get on well with our 'neighbours' for every day apart from derby day. Only those who have experienced the rivalry and grown up with it can understand the hatred between the two clubs. At the risk of this article becoming a self-indulgent wander down Memory Lane, one of my favourite memories about football is my first derby day. As I stepped out the car, clutching so tightly to my Dad's hand my knuckles went white, I could sense the hatred in the air. Being only nine, it was thrilling. I had no real loathing for the opposition at this age, so I could, to some extent, enjoy the occasion, couldn't I? Ho-ho. I wish. The intensity gripped me. The noise was deafening from start to finish. I found myself swept up in the atmosphere, shouting and swearing like a trooper. And of course, we won. Had we lost, the memory would have been so much more bitter.

Of course, there are different types of rivalry. England v Australia, for example, I've found to be a largely amiable and friendly rivalry. People often talk of Liverpool v Everton as a 'family derby', and from the glimpses of the fans, there are often Blues mixed in amongst Reds, and there is rarely any trouble. This does not however, degrade the rivalry in any way, shape or form. Some of the greatest rivalries exist upon a mutual respect, that brings out the best in both sides. But if Liverpool v Everton can be described as 'the friendly derby', there is one match that must surely be described as the 'hate-filled derby'. Glasgow Rangers v Glasgow Celtic make Birmingham v Villa, Blackburn v Burnley and Cardiff v Swansea look like tea-parties. The Gers and the Hoops play each other 4 times a season at a minimum, and yet the rivalry does not diminish. I feel these two could play each other every week and the rivalry would still be red-hot. There is no doubt that good old G.K Chesterton's quote rings true around Ibrox and Celtic Park when these two meet.

It would be madness to write this article about rivalries and simply focus on sport. If we look closer to home, sibling rivalry can be as fierce as the afore-mentioned Glasgow derby one minute, and loving and caring the next. One of the earliest instances of sibling rivalry is the Bible story of Cain and Abel- where Cain murders his brother. This rivalry is put down to Cain's jealousy of God's favouritism towards Abel. Ahh, jealousy. That green-eyed monster could quite conceivably be at the root of many rivalries. The jealous ones, those who have been languishing beneath their rivals for many years, would like to think of it as the plucky underdog, not the jealous monster, kicked for all these years, turning round to bite their 'superior' on the bum.

Burnley will be hoping that the story of Cain and Abel is pre-emptive of their success on Sunday, as they set out to kill the dominance that Blackburn have held over them for so many years.