Anecdotal evidence from very small sample areas such as Erdington by the sounds of it. I went to all 3 games including the cup match and didn't have any concern wandering round before during or after. Can't say the same about trips to Molineux (bit of anecdotal evidence of my own)
Go on then, I'll bite
.
Anecdotal evidence from somebody who lives somewhere up near where they speak with spit gurgling around the throat as loosely alluded to by your good self
. Ask many Albion supporters from Smethwick, Oldbury, Handsworth, Great Barr, Hamstead and Northfield too. The list goes on, even though many Albion in Northfield are also concerned with the Blues. These are not small sample areas individually and especially not when combined.
I concede the atmosphere
can be poor at ours when we host the Vile,
but equally from my perspective I don't think it's too hot for the Dings either. Sadly that's more to do with large sections of the Hawthorns having resembled a morgue for years. However, I do know what both fixtures occasionally lack in volume, they make up for in tension for whomever is more inclined one way or the other.
By the way I've been to a Vile/Blues derby at the seal pen. I can assure you the general atmosphere be it in terms of volume AND tension was shockingly poor. But then Stern Johns hilarious late equaliser aside, the fixture means next to nothing to me. As for you having not noticed anything untoward following the 'double' games though you must walk around in some kind of a bubble, especially before/during/after the Cup game.
I have every respect for those who can't stand those of an orange six fingered persuasion over the pink and blue pyjama clan. They can undoubtedly be a pain and far more so for those who live cheek by jowl with the inbred dads for cousins. But I'd prefer it if you didn't belittle the rivalry as felt by others, particularly when you clearly have no understanding of it from our perspective.
And for the record there really are a great many Vilers listed in the areas above who really do care. They just know their dismissive, arrogant denial narks many. I'm with Oldbury on this one though as I loathe them enough for the both of us. But ask yourself why many Vilers take such a stance. For many the answer is obvious, indoctrination from a young age as experienced by yourself with a Wednesbury raised dad. Cheek by jowl also plays a huge part again as mentioned before.
But the Vile are also play ground bullies regarding Blues,
a local team who've only beaten Villa on 33 occasions since 1887. They've beaten us more times than they have Small Heath Alliance, but then we've played each other sixty one times more often. Swings, roundabouts, whys and wherefores. But as always, each to their own.
And always, always SOTV
.
