West Yorkshire derbies
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The West Yorkshire derby is a series of football matches taking place between 3 English football clubs from West Yorkshire — Bradford City, Huddersfield Town and Leeds United. [1][2] Leeds United's relegation to League One in 2007 may have reignited this rivalry, although Bradford's relegation to League Two removed the possibility that the three major West Yorkshire football teams (Leeds, Bradford and Huddersfield) might be in the same division for the first time since the 1980s in the 2007–08 season. In 2010/11 season all three teams involved in the West Yorkshire Derby are in differnt league, Bradford City are in League Two, Huddersfield town are in League One and Leeds United play in the Championship.
The rivalry goes beyond football with the three areas also having Rugby League teams that consider each other as rivals.
Bradford City and Leeds United
Bradford and Leeds engage in a very fierce competition with local rivals Leeds United: they are considered to be the club's most hated rivals in modern times, although it could be said that this is a one-way rivalry: Leeds fans are unlikely to raise the same level of emotion talking about Bradford City that a City fan would in talking of Leeds. This rivalry is mainly due to the two cities' proximity to one another, which has exacerbated in later years because there has been a large following within Bradford choosing to travel the short distance to support Leeds rather than the home town's City. There may be other reasons, including the setting alight of a chip van by Leeds fans during a game between the two sides at Odsal perceived by some as a mockery of the Bradford City disaster.
Bradford City and Huddersfield Town
Bradford City and Huddersfield Town have had roughly the same league status for the last couple of decades and so it could be argued that they are closest rivals out of the three West Yorkshire teams.
Leeds United and Huddersfield Town
Leeds are arguably the biggest team in West Yorkshire with the biggest stadium, Elland Road, that holds 39,460[3]. Leeds United have also won sevral tittles such as 3 first division tittles, FA Cup and League cup. Huddersfield have also won the First division 3 times and have won the FA Cup and Huddersfield fans would say that they have more history than Leeds. In recent years they have been fairly evenly matched in league status. In 2010/11 Leeds Will play in a higher league than Huddersfield.
Other rivalries in West Yorkshire
Bradford City historically have a fierce rivalry with other Bradfordian team Bradford Park Avenue A.F.C., which can also be considered a "West Yorkshire Derby", however this is rivalry is commonly known as the "Bradford derby". Halifax F.C., another west yrokshire football team, consider Huddersfield to be one off there main rivals. Before dissolving in March 2010 Farsley Celtic A.F.C. had a 'one-way' rivalry with Leeds United.
Rugby League is also big in West Yorkshire. Rugby league teams Bradford Bulls, Leeds Rhinos and Huddersfield Giants would be the big West Yorkshire Rugby Derby. Other teams such as Batley Bulldogs, Bramley Buffaloes, Castleford Tigers, [Dewsbury Rams]], Featherstone Rovers, Halifax RLFC, Hunslet Hawks, [[[Keighley Cougars]] and Wakefield Trinity Wildcats play in West Yorkshire and any combination of them teams playing against each other would be called a West Yorkshire derby even if the rivalry is not as great as other rivalrys between teams in the area.
See also
References
- ^ "Huddersfield's West Yorkshire derby against Leeds United 'biggest in living memory'"
- ^ "It’s Derby day in West Yorkshire"
- ^ "Club Records". www.leedsunited.com. 21 May 2007. Retrieved 8 March 2009.
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