Whats the biggest derby in Irish football

[Erstwhile Bóz]

Linfield and Glentoran is probably bigger than Bohs and Rovers. It goes back way longer, as well.

No Bohs match against any other Dublin team comes within the bawl of an ass to it.

Having said that, though, most people probably don't have anything to compare their own derby to, really -- the only other derbies I've been are the odd non-Bohs Dublin one and I thought they were crap because I had no interest. So you're probably talking about league-wide coverage and buzz, and Bohs-Rovers probably gets more of that than any other tie.

They mention Linfield-Glentoran every five minutes on every single BBC and UTV programme ever, though.

[dcfcsteve]

But you have to factor in the fact that Harps and Derry have played far less frequently than Bohs and Rovers, and so there is more of an element of novelty involved.

Would Harps and Derry derbies maintain current attendance figures if they played every year?

Osarun - we had Harps pretty much every single year in the League Cup as well, and also other North-west competitions.

It's nonsesense to say there's a "novelty" in playing them. We've played Harps c. 56 times in our 23 LOI seasons. That's an average of twice a year. Where's the novelty/rarity value in that.....?

[dcfcsteve]

if there's one thing us supporters of the "Big Club"™ and the "Most Famous Club in the League"™ agree on - it's that of the biggest derby in the League.

If we are to start disallowing derbies due to the "violence" that surrounds them then we'd better discount the Old Firm shindig (remember seeing a police charge sheet after one such game a few years ago - which listed amongst the offences committed by one set of fans a "cleaver attack"), CSKA - Spartak in Moscow, and 98% of all derby matches in Argentina and Brazil.

Bohs - Rovers is the biggest rivalry and derby in the South - no question

No-one mentioned disallowing derbies due to violence - just that that's the only 'big' claim the Dublin derby has to its name. Though at least you don't try to bury your head in the sand like BohDiddley.

If Bohs-Rovers is the biggest derby - then why doesn't it atract the biggest derby crowd in the league ?? Surely that's the definitive answer as to what the sporting public consider the biggest game of the EL calendar....?

[BohDiddley]

at least you don't try to bury your head in the sand like BohDiddley

Tabloid clichés again, and factory seconds at that. You seem to be conveniently unable to conceive of a rivalry that isn't based on violence.

[dcfcsteve]

Tabloid clichés again, and factory seconds at that. You seem to be conveniently unable to conceive of a rivalry that isn't based on violence.

I can. Every single one in Ireland, bar Bohs-Rovers and Linfield-Glens - both of which have been occassionally blighted by violence. And I'm happy to say 'occassionally', as that's all it has been.

Conversely - I'm still waiting for you to even acknowledge that there has historically been a problem on occassion with the Bohs-Rovers fixture. Hence the 'head burying' accusation.

You're the only one chucking around cliches and side-stepping fact here BD. Get over yourself...

[Steve Bruce]

I can. Every single one in Ireland, bar Bohs-Rovers and Linfield-Glens - both of which have been occassionally blighted by violence. And I'm happy to say 'occassionally', as that's all it has been.

Conversely - I'm still waiting for you to even acknowledge that there has historically been a problem on occassion with the Bohs-Rovers fixture. Hence the 'head burying' accusation.

You're the only one chucking around cliches and side-stepping fact here BD. Get over yourself...

I agree with you for a change

[osarusan]

Osarun - we had Harps pretty much every single year in the League Cup as well, and also other North-west competitions.

It's nonsesense to say there's a "novelty" in playing them. We've played Harps c. 56 times in our 23 LOI seasons. That's an average of twice a year. Where's the novelty/rarity value in that.....?

Sorry, I should have been clearer. I meant league games, rather than regional tournaments which frankly aren't so important.

I'd imagine cup game (not league cup) would be the best though, for crowds and atmosphere. Has that happened often?

[Mr A]

Not that often- twice that I can remember off the top of my head. The biggest one was obviously the promotion relegation playoff matches. The atmosphere at those was pretty mental.

I do agree with the point that not having played quite so often helps the crowd. Can anyone recall whether the first league game between Bohs and Rovers after Rovers promotion had an extra large crowd?

[BohDiddley]

I can. Every single one in Ireland, bar Bohs-Rovers and Linfield-Glens - both of which have been occassionally blighted by violence. And I'm happy to say 'occassionally', as that's all it has been.

Conversely - I'm still waiting for you to even acknowledge that there has historically been a problem on occassion with the Bohs-Rovers fixture. Hence the 'head burying' accusation.

You're the only one chucking around cliches and side-stepping fact here BD. Get over yourself...

You want a ritual acknowledgement of 'violence' every time Bohs and Rovers are mentioned in the same thread? I don't see why we should comply with that demand, and certainly I don't apologise for not to sharing your tabloid-driven, knee-jerk perception.
Bohs-Rovers derbies are real derbies. They are heated. They are intense. They are 99.9% a footballing occasion and less than 0.01% idiots who choose to see them the way you do.
You've succeeded in turning yet another football discussion on this forum into a dim-witted drone about eL's 'hooligan problem'. Congratulations.

[pól-dcfc]

Not that often- twice that I can remember off the top of my head. The biggest one was obviously the promotion relegation playoff matches. The atmosphere at those was pretty mental.

Great great matches. Two of the games that got me going to the Brandy again after a long absence.

[Mr A]

Woeful, woeful matches. Great occasions though.

[dcfcsteve]

You want a ritual acknowledgement of 'violence' every time Bohs and Rovers are mentioned in the same thread? I don't see why we should comply with that demand, and certainly I don't apologise for not to sharing your tabloid-driven, knee-jerk perception.
Bohs-Rovers derbies are real derbies. They are heated. They are intense. They are 99.9% a footballing occasion and less than 0.01% idiots who choose to see them the way you do.
You've succeeded in turning yet another football discussion on this forum into a dim-witted drone about eL's 'hooligan problem'. Congratulations.

Show me other threads where I have, as you claim, turned a football discussion into one about EL's 'hooligan problem' ? I certainly won't hold my breath for your response....

I suspect you just cut and paste hackneyed retorts and abusive comments from a little stock-pile you have, that you resort to whenever anyone dares mentions this topic - without even acknowledeing anything they're saying or having a clue about how often they've raised the issue before.

You're therefore not worth wasting keyboard strokes on any more. Good day BD....

[BohDiddley]

Show me other threads where I have, as you claim, turned a football discussion into one about EL's 'hooligan problem' ? I certainly won't hold my breath for your response....

I was referring to the general tendency on the board.

I suspect you just cut and paste hackneyed retorts and abusive comments from a little stock-pile you have, that you resort to whenever anyone dares mentions this topic - without even acknowledeing anything they're saying or having a clue about how often they've raised the issue before. You're therefore not worth wasting keyboard strokes on any more. Good day BD....

Yes. I stockpile them along with the machetes and the attack dogs with which all us nasty, blood-crazed Bohs and Rovers fans are armed.

I'm sorry if you thought my comments were abusive. I actually don't think they were in the least bit so. Maybe you reached that extraordinary conclusion because I had the temerity to disagree with your point of view. You seem to an umbrage-taker par excellence, but not so good at moderating your own comments, being as you are happy to characterise Bohs-Rovers games as being primarily about violence.

I thought at this point in the discussion you might have the grace to acknowledge the fact that there is or even might be much more to them than that, and possibly even more that is good about them than not.

But you couldn't.

[Greenforever]

Rather interesting how many people here are scrambling to deny or dilute or just defame the Bohs v Rovers derby.
With some of these posters, we don't need a tabloid press to do down League of Ireland.

The fact a lot of posters reckon there are derbies to compete with Rovers Bohs or are even bigger is surely a plus for the league not a minus

[fbtn]

Jeeez, good to see the synonyms feature is getting plenty of use

[Erstwhile Bóz]

dcfcsteve, you may have been inadvertent in so doing, but you technically said that the rivalry of Bohs and Rovers is "based on violence".

[Erstwhile Bóz]

Well Linfield and Glentoran are the same religion, you see.

[HarpoJoyce]

Well Linfield and Glentoran are the same religion, you see.

That's true, they're both Christian. I know I was in Belfast before. While, Bohs-hoops are pagans and copy rituals from central Europe and the Alps.

[Dodge]

FFs lads, nobody outside of Derry/Donegal thinks that the biggest game in the league. just like nobody outside Waterford/Cork thinks thats the biggest game in the league. Its possibly the biggest game for those respective fan bases but in real terms, no one else gives a toss.

Typical ridiculous thread...

[Sam_Heggy]

Couldn't give a flying fig about Bohs-Rovers, Linfield- Glens, Cork-Cobh or any other game if Harps aint involved or if it doesn't affect us.
Harps - Derry is the biggest fixture on our list, its the one we look out for every time the fixture list comes out.
Who gives a rats arse which game is the "biggest derby"?