[wdbroun]

Hello all,
I'm obviously new to the forum and new to active WBA support, and I'm trying to get a deeper understanding of the various rivalries surrounding West Brom.

Here's the short version of my question? How do Albion's various rivals compare with and contrast one another as rivals? Which is the bitterest? Which is the oldest? Which has the most breadth in terms of history? Are there new rivals? Are there former rivals no longer considered rivals? I'm not from England (not directly, that is), so it's very hard to get a handle on these sorts of geographically based tensions from thousands of miles away, but they're fascinating, too.

From afar for a noob, for instance, it seems that Wolves come in for the role of most ignoble, least respected rival, although not necessarily the most bitter? But I can't tell. Is Villa "worse"? What about Stoke?

Very confused!

I realize this must seem like old hat as a topic, but these rivalries evolve, too, and it would be interesting to learn where things stand today.

[Baggie79]

For me it's sort of an age thing. The older fans it is generally Villa and the younger fans it is generally Wolves. Both are similar distances from our club but as Villa have Birmingham as their main rivals I would suggest that Wolves are our most hated rival. As for Stoke we just hate them because they always beat us and not because they are local.

[BaggieJames114]

its also personal and where you are from. Being from Solihull personally, Its Villa and Blues who are bigger games for me than Wolves. As i only know Blues/Villa fans really the tension is massive with bragging rights etc. With Wolves i dont get that. There are lots of different things that come into it

[Philly88]

for me its villa just a bit more than wolves and then stoke and wolves are on par really. I hate Villa fans and stoke fans... arrogant etc where as I have a few wolves fans as mates.

[RowleyBaggie2]

Being from Blackheath its Villa for me, the two dingles who drink where I do are good lads who we have a laugh with but bar a couple the villa fans are arrogant snides.

[timdon]

Rivalry is really about being close geographically mainly. So wolves and Villa are very close so these are the main rivals. There have been various polls to determine who is our biggest rivalry, and generally they show about two thirds hate Wolves most and about one third hate Villa the most. Birmingham City are also close geographically, but are in the next division down so not directly rivals in day to day football terms. Although some people dislike them just as much as Wolves and Villa, generally they are more tolerated. The other close team geographically is Walsall, a little team in a lower division. A lot of West Brom fans see them as their second team, possibly because they are no threat. Stoke are a bit further away, but as said above, we dislike them because for some reason they always seem to beat us, though we put that right this season. Sometimes we dislike other teams because of their perceived arrogance, for example Liverpool, but these are not strictly rivalries.
Hope that gives a bit of a picture. Apologies in advance to West Brom fans who dislike Birmingham most, or who hate Walsall, but I reckon this is a fair overall summary.

[silver surfer]

From what i have read Albion and Villa are probably the longest rivallry, contested 3 FA cup finals well over a hundred years ago, geographically about 3 miles apart as the crow flies. Had a serious public disorder if not a riot after one of the finals in Handsworth although i do stand to be corrected on this.
A late equaliser for Albion relegated Villa in the final game in the 1959 season which again led to a major dust up in Handsworth.
More recently there was a large scale dust up down the road after a Albion-Villa game in the early 2000s.
On the flip side apparently in the 50s and 60s some fans used to go to each others home games,Albion-Villa that is.
Im not sure but i think the Albion- Wolves rivallry probably got a bit serious in the 50s during their good patch.

[timdon]

............ by the way, wdbroun, just as a matter of interest, how and why did you decide to support little old West Brom?

[FallOutBoy]

Basically...

The big Midlands rivalry used to be Albion - Villa, because we were the 2 Midlands clubs constantly in the top division. Wolves versus Stoke used to be the Staffordshire derby.

Then they moved all the boundaries, so that Wolves, Albion, and Villa were all part of the West Midlands.

We went into decline, just after Wolves did, and because we ended up playing each other a lot in the championship, combined with the feral nature of most of their support...familiarity bread contempt. All the while, the Villa condescended to both of us, and Blues. Blues started to really come into play at this point, I think, because nobody from the older generations really seems to give two s**** about them.

So now Blues view their main rivalry as Villa, because in recent years they have been able to play them on a more level footing. Wolves see their main rivalry as us, because we're closer than Stoke, and familiarity has bread contempt. Younger Albion and Villa fans therefore see Wolves and Blues respectively as their main rivals. However older fans still see each other as the big derby.

With Albion now in a better position than Villa, but both in the Premier, I can see it being the regions big derby again...which will just annoy the hell out of the Bluenoses and Dingles.

[Quakes Fan]

All of this and much more has been discussed in previous threads, wdbroun. You can learn a great deal about the Albion, past and present, just by browsing and reading. 

[Baggie79]

The vile I can take or leave but the dingles I really really hate!!

[WBA 59]

I am from Hales Owen and went to school in the 50's and 60's. At that time you were either Albion or vile fans with just a few kids supporting wo1ve5. I think it is age related because in the 50's to 80's we played both of teams until wo1ve5 went to the 4th division and for a time you did not see a yellow shirt from one season to the next. Then we sold them the "tatter"and they became the Phoenix rising from the ashes of the cow shed. It was at this time when their fans became arrogant little s****, and because we did not play  the vile for a good few years the younger fans grew up to hate the wo1ve5. But all us older fans have known the vile fans have always been little s****.

[Baggies]

Albion fans dont like to admit it, but we care a lot more about Villa than they do about us. Listening o older Albion and Villa fans, it was once a big rivalry but nowadays it is more about Albion fans disliking Villa fans who for the last 20-25 years have been very condescending to WBA and so we dislike them. They take joy in us caring and they feeling indifferent to us as we didnt get in their way for a quarter of a century.

I have sensed the dynamic change in the last 2 seasons though. I think we have been the better side for the last 2 years and Villa fans havent enjoyed the role reversal. Their desperation after the last derby, accusing our fans of disrespect and other concoctions hinted that all of a sudden, while we are back atop the West Midlands perch, they are having to get used to looking up to us rather than down and they dont like it.


It's the other way around for Stoke. We dpnt care as much while they hate us. They do have a habit of beating us all of the time though so secretly, we cant stand them either.

Walsall and Coventry only matter when we are playing them - everybody likes Walsall while they like nobody - the angry younger brother. Coventry are the idiot cousin - nobody likes them but they despise everybody - including the east midlands clubs.

Blues is a love hate rivalry. At times, Albion and Blues fans like each other and want their teams to win. At others, like now, we want each other to lose as we try to take their goalkeeper and manager off them.

Then comes Wolves - the real rivalry for us younger generation of fans. They are 10 miles away but you can still hear them from here. They cant stand us more than Blues fans cant stand Villa. I can think why they dislike us so much. Oh wait, maybe it is domination ever since the 60's, including many derby wins, general laughs and of course the league turn around back in the early 2000's.

There you go, thats about as accurate as I can get.

[sing on our own]

I dislike Villa dont mind Blues but the sight of that stupid orange shirt makes me feel sick and makes me hate whoevers wearing it,sorry if that sounds bitter but thats just the way i am

[Hong Kong Phooey]

I think it’s all down to location and your own personal experiences!

This is how I see it during my lifetime (40+ years):

STATUS: Villa, WBA, Stoke, Coventry, Blues, Wo1ve5, Walsall (who have no status)

DISLIKE: Wo1ve5, Stoke, Villa, Blues, Coventry, Walsall, WBA (who I do not dislike)

[kris_boing]

My main hatred is for Wolves.
 
I hate Man Utd and Stoke more than I do Villa.

[Frankowba11]

Hi there you asked for a new rivalry and I hope my fellow baggies will agree with me when I say Sheffield united?? I say this as there was the battle of bramell lane. Just type this in YouTube or google, we won 3-0 (eventually) but I have never liked them scince. I hope they don't go up can't stand there fans remind me of dingles.

[kris_boing]

I blame Warnock for the Battle of Brammall Lane.  It was him who got his players to cheat.
 
Plus I love the Greasy Chip Butty Anthem - one of the best Club Anthems IMO. 

[wbasoprano]

I blame Warnock for the Battle of Brammall Lane.  It was him who got his players to cheat.
 
Plus I love the Greasy Chip Butty Anthem - one of the best Club Anthems IMO.

Yeah love that and I agree, my hatred for Sheffield United went with Warnock. I spoke to one of their fans not long ago and he said they stopped hating us when Megson left the Albion (Sheffield Wednesday connections obviously). 

Anyway, back to the rivals. It's Wolves then Villa for me, don't mind Blues that much.

[rubyruby]

Has to be the Villa for me. Still think they should be in the Top 6 and above clubs like us.

[alex1]

It must be geography because I come from High Wycombe and don't hate any Midland club. The teams I loathe most are those that the lazy armchair fans support who dominate the national media. Especially Man Utd. and Liverpool. Of which there are lot in the South and most of whom have never seen them live.  You can't get more arrogant than Man U. Would rather support a team of rodents. After that I hate Arsenal (because they think they discovered attractive football when I remember them singing 1-0 to the Arsenal and booting it into Row Z), Everton (who think they are a big club, when actually they are a mid-table outfit) and for some reason QPR. 

[Turkish baggie]

Our oldest rivals at club level is the Villa. In the Albion history it mentions when we won the cup around 1888, the team was being driven back from London parading the cup but when they got into villa land they were attacked, riots began between supporters and the team had to detour through Worcester.

This Albion Villa, at club level rivalry also goes back to around 1904 when the Albion was owned by one family. The club nearly went bust and asked the villa for a short term loan, it was refused but thanks to local support the Albion where saved!
This part of our history remains important today, that no one person or family can hold full controlling shares in the club. If Albion where ever to be sold to a multi million consortium as such, the constitution of the club would have to be re written.

We did get a bit of our own back when Ronnie Allen scored in  a 1-0 win at villa to send them down around 1958?

I do agree though that the rivalry amongst fans is where you live. Me, from Tipton its the wolves then the villa. Birmingham City have never come into for me.
 

[JtheMull]

Due to where I live and some of the people who surround me the biggest,best rivalry is Wolves for me. Villa would be a close 2nd and B'ham 3rd. I don't see Stoke geographically as a rival but as they are our bogey team they do come into the lis of rivalries-just.

[divinewind]

its also personal and where you are from. Being from Solihull personally, Its Villa and Blues who are bigger games for me than Wolves. As i only know Blues/Villa fans really the tension is massive with bragging rights etc. With Wolves i dont get that. There are lots of different things that come into it

Yeah,for me it's the other way round,i live and work in wolverhampton,i feel like a God. 
I only know one Bluenose and one Viler.

Our fans aren't keen on Scousers or Londoners but get on with Geordies and Mackems ok.

[Baggies]

First of all, thank you ALL for all the wonderful and informative replies. This thread has totally opened my eyes to some of the nuances and subtle shadings of the rivalries. Fascinating.

To answer your question, Timdon: my father is from West Brom; my grandmother (long dead now) was born there, too. My grandfather was born in Aston, actually.

The very first soccer game I ever saw in my life (during a visit to see relatives in England) was on 21 December 1974 at the Hawthorns. West Brom defeated Villa 2-0. I was age 8.

For many years, I wasn't really interested in football, but have grown increasingly football mad as the internet allows for better access to games. In any case, there's really only one team that I feel I MUST support, and that's Albion -- always has been.

I do have other times I love. Erm, I admit I'm a Chelsea fan, too. I also like Blackpool.

When my dad has told me about going to see Albion and Villa in the late 1940s, he always plays down the rivalry. He tells me that he knew many people who supported both teams, oddly enough, and he himself felt that way.

Ive heard that from a few people. I know older fans who used to go to Wolves, WBA and Villa on a loop, due o the 4 midlands clubs all being so close to one another.

I know Albion fans who went to Wolves Uefa Cup final game (maybe it was to watch them lose I dont know).

[ou60baggie]

For me it's the dingles always has been, with Viila next and blues , walsal have never bothered  me but for the last few seasons stoke are. Thanks for thread been really good to read

[JBullyWBA]

Having grown up in Stourbridge, I have noticed that most Villa fans from the area aren't overly bothered with Birmingham City as there are barely any bluenoses around. Most just take the superior tone and take the mickey out of us but in the last two seasons that tone has changed pretty dramatically to one of hate towards The Albion!
I could see the Albion- Villa derby getting a little more intense if we keep getting results against them and Wolves/Blues stay down.
For me though, Wolves are by far our biggest rival. Having gone to a 95% dingle school in Wombourne, I was one of 3 Baggies fans out of the whole school with one or two vile/bluenoses so I can't stand them! Their hatred for us is unreal and the feeling is mutual.

[Moggas barmy army]

As an American, observing from afar, I must admit that I find the depth of the emotions discussed here rather shocking. Hatred? Really? Aren't there better things to loathe, such as cancer or cheap coffee and car engines that leak oil? I find myself truly baffled. 

Sometimes I think all these footie rivalries among Britons goes back to your Anglo-Saxon/Mercian tribal roots lol.  You need something to keep you busy, or you'll be pillaging the local village. LOL.

It's a hatred not seen in the states i went to a patriots jets game a few years ago and while the rivalry was intense fans still sat next to each other with very little trouble. If fans at albion v wolves were to mix at a game it would be a full out brawl.

I think the difference with England is football is everything. People support other teams and like other sports (for me it's cricket and nfl) but these sports come nowhere near the passion I have for football and none of the other teams i support come anywhere near the albion in terms of emotional investment. In the states you guys have 4 major sports and people often support two or more teams and have interests in other sports.

If you can ever get across the pond to come and watch an albion wolves or albion villa game I think you'd be surprised at the nastiness and intensity between both sets of fans.

[Critical Baggie]

wdbroun, In my opinion the rivalry between sides shamefully stems from football hooliganism. Although its not half as bad as it is was anymore, there is as you even stated a deep seated tribal behavior with English people. Check out the link below which came from a show called 'The 70s' broadcast on the BBC not long ago. I think this sums up rivalry between football fans well. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQS3we1Oy9U&feature=share

Thank god things aren't anywhere like this anymore but its unfortunately something written in British peoples DNA, as an island nation and country that always seems to be at war with someone. Football is a very tribal game from the viewpoint of a supporter.

[Quakes Fan]

As an American, observing from afar, I must admit that I find the depth of the emotions discussed here rather shocking. Hatred? Really? Aren't there better things to loathe, such as cancer or cheap coffee and car engines that leak oil? I find myself truly baffled. 

Sometimes I think all these footie rivalries among Britons goes back to your Anglo-Saxon/Mercian tribal roots lol.  You need something to keep you busy, or you'll be pillaging the local village. LOL.

After describing some British footballing rivalries to my father, an alumnus and lifelong University of Missouri supporter, he likened them to MU (University of Missouri) v KU (University of Kansas).

Whilst MU v KU is as old as Albion v Wolves and has some of the origins of its enmity in actual warfare (Missouri and Kansas were on opposite sides of the American Civil War), I can't ever recall any dustups between the two sets of supporters. They may dislike each other greatly -- I know my father has nothing but ill wishes for Jayhawks -- but it's a notch below the intensity of British football. No Jayhawk ever mailed a bomb to Norm Stewart.

[Baggies]

I know my father has nothing but ill wishes for Jayhawks -- but its a notch below the intensity of British football. No Jayhawk ever mailed a bomb to Norm Stewart.

That's Celtic vs Rangers though. The biggest rivalry in world football - a fact agreed by people all over the world. Celtic - Rangers is THE football grudge match.

[Baggies]

It's a hatred not seen in the states i went to a patriots jets game a few years ago and while the rivalry was intense fans still sat next to each other with very little trouble. If fans at albion v wolves were to mix at a game it would be a full out brawl.

Is that just Football/soccer though? In rugby and Cricket, and in fact any sport you want, opposition fans sit together. I think it's only football where we have to be segregated.

[KingKoren]

That's Celtic vs Rangers though. The biggest rivalry in world football - a fact agreed by people all over the world. Celtic - Rangers is THE football grudge match.

Not a footballing rivalry really though. More Religious and Political.

Basically I loath every team but Albion. The way it should be. 

[skids63]

I love two teams.  The Albion and everyone that beats wolves.

[Quakes Fan]

That's Celtic vs Rangers though. The biggest rivalry in world football - a fact agreed by people all over the world. Celtic - Rangers is THE football grudge match.

Sure, I picked the biggest one in the UK, but I don't think even Albion v Wolves is surpassed by MU v KU or any other rivalry in the US for pure venom.

Fenerbahce v Galatasaray, River Plate v Boca Juniors, Red Star v Partizan, Olympiacos v Panathinaikos, all possibly "bigger" than Rangers v Celtic. Hard to measure these things.

[Hunnington Baggie]

lol wdbroun, so do we, but not as many nukes and we like to hide them under the ocean in something called trident (although that is supposedly getting decommisioned i think)  . as for the rivalry. I always see Wolves as the biggie. I grew up in the 90's and early 2000's so they've been the derbies ive seen most. But i hate everyone so i don't think i'm a good example. now excuse me, i've got an axe to grind.

[BrummieBaggie68]

Both are similar distances from our club

It's ten miles from the hawthorns to the molyneux, but only three and a bit to villa park, which is basically just the other side of handsworth.

Wdbroun, you need to see handsworth as the centre of the universe, and as the epicentre of the traditional rivalry, with the Albion at its western edge and the villa at its eastern, while the wolves is a foreign team in a foreign town miles away, no more a truly local rival to the albion than is grasshoppers zurich.

I'm joking, as obviously the wolves became a big rival in recent years. As others have said, though, that was mainly  because we spent decades in the wrong division, often alongside them, but not alongside villa. And it's hard to maintain the proper rivalry with a team you don't play.

But the dogheads were always a substitute for the real traditional rival, which has always been the other handsworth club, aston villa.

(the blues, 5-6 miles away, are irrelevant. Nobody cares about the blues).

[Moggas barmy army]

Is that just Football/soccer though? In rugby and Cricket, and in fact any sport you want, opposition fans sit together. I think it's only football where we have to be segregated.

Well it depends here in Mexico fans sit together for matches and there's no trouble so I only think it's a European thing. 

[deejay]

i grew up in Northfield which is probably 40% Blues 30%Villa 15% Albion and 15%utd/liverpool etc.  I dont mind Blues one bit and in general we all get along with them as we both hate Villa and Wolves so much..  Villa i hate with a passion and that was definatly a bigger game than the dingles in the 70s and early 80s.. but as we lowered ourselves to dingle level late 80s and 90s i would say the dings became our main rival , but i hardly know any dingles so apart from that 90 mins when we play em i dont ever think about them.. as for Vile i loose sleep thinkind about them  i really want to see them drop out of the Prem and watch there massive , giant noisy huge all singing all dancing fan base from worcester and leamington crumble..  SOTV   

[JBullyWBA]

As an American, observing from afar, I must admit that I find the depth of the emotions discussed here rather shocking. Hatred? Really? Aren't there better things to loathe, such as cancer or cheap coffee and car engines that leak oil? I find myself truly baffled. 

Sometimes I think all these footie rivalries among Britons goes back to your Anglo-Saxon/Mercian tribal roots lol.  You need something to keep you busy, or you'll be pillaging the local village. LOL.

Haha, yeah it does seem rather shocking. I mean, all of my best mates are wolves fans and obviously I don't hate them! But when talk of football starts and the banter gets going it can get quite heated, most of it is in good spirit but there is definitely a serious undertone somewhere.

I remember when I used to live in Stourbridge as a kid (about 10/11), I'd had a battering from some older lad and a dingle mate of mine went to take me into his house to get cleaned up, his dad saw my top and flat out told me to f*** off, called me some sandwell related name and told me to get out of his house! Some people take it incredibly seriously, that really got to me as a kid and started the touch-paper if you like. I'm no where near as bigoted and hate filled as that sad old bloke but the satisfaction of beating that lot really is wonderful and made so much better when imagining the look on the faces of people like him!

[westbrom87]

If your older it tends to be Villa, if your younger it tends to be Wolves.  But my Dad has brought me up properly, to hate the Villa.

If your from Birmingham it tends to be Villa, if your from the Black Country, it tends to be Wolves.

It's almost a bit of a ven diagram really.

[NethertonBaggie]

Having grown up in the 90s it was wolves for me, I have dingle mates and the banter is allways fun on match days. I know a few vile fans round my way and they are all arrogant t**ts (My so called brother in law being the biggest) so over the las few years ive swtched to the old ways with villa being the team I hate 

Im moving to Worcester is it true that theres a big vile following there?

[87Baggie]

As a Black Country lad (and a 25 year old) I consider the Dingles to be our main rivals. Always feel more excitement when we play them than I do with the Seals, as well as more satisfaction when we beat them. After the Dingles I consider Vile to be our second rivals, The Small Heath Chav brigade our third rivals and then Stoke 4th. I cant really bring myself to dislike Walsall.

[baggiejules]

Im moving to Worcester is it true that theres a big vile following there?

Yeah there is mate but they are 95% armchair supporters. The majority of Albion and Wolves fans I know are either season ticket holders or at least go semi regularly. Most of the Villa fans I know go once a season when Man United are in town. Well the used to at least, they all boycotted it this season because the football was too boring.   

When we played the Vile away this year in the 2-1 game where Scharner got the winner there was as many Albion on the train back as there were Villa which surprised even me to be honest.

[mutchisman]

I'd agree with most posts on here about the Villa/Wolves split; having spent most of my life in Birmingham and being of a mature vintage I only hate the Villa and boy do I hate them! Most of my cousins are Wolves fans and none of them are remotely like scum, we have some good banter when we meet. However most of my wife's family are Villa and even the (half) decent ones are arrogant soandsos. Back in our yo-yo days I used to get 'I hope you come back up so we can get the six points' which ticked me off something rotten so the win at The Hall of Memories this year was far better for me than the 5 - 1. at the Molineux.

[Mikkyk]

I'm of the younger generation but i hate Villa more. That's probably because i grew up in Birmingham and only had one dingle in my year at school but an uncountable amount of Villa fans

[LiamTheBaggie]

I generally agree with whats been said by previous posters. Being fairly young myself I tend to hate the Wolves, although I've become bored with the rivalry. I've become used to laughing at them and beating them its become the normality. I would much prefer igniting a passionate derby with the Vile.

On a personal level I have a hatred towards Sheffield United. Not only because of the BOBL but due to me disliking their fans and pretty much everything about them. I know quite a few United supporters and I've never heard a team whittle so many excuses for their own failures. Plus, I do like Sheffield Wednesday, they're one of the teams I look out for and gradually this season I've became in thrilled with the race for second place and took great delight in seeing Sheffield United choke. Plus, the Wednesday support, although often criticised is massive compared to their lesser neighbours and they also seem to share a common like for the Albion.

The teams I like to see lose are: Wolves, Villa, Sheffield United

[NethertonBaggie]

I can only hope that the change in fortune for both us and villa continues for a good many seasons as watching there inflated ego's take a battering this season has been priceless.

[reiss]

 villa: I tend to hate villa more, cause of brothers being vile fans, and being brought up around villa fans.

wolves: hate there fans more than anything.

stoke: wouldnt say i hate them, but dont like them, as others have said they always beat us

blues: dont have a problem with them, few bluenose mates, and they quite like albion

walsall: they hate us, but we couldnt care less about them

coventry: cant stand them

[leeiswba]

No one comes near to my hatred for Wolves at all.

Villa never really had a problem with them, but over the last 2-3 years its getting abit more tasty. Blues havent got a problem with, dislike Stoke more than Blues.

[Bmth.baggie]

Villa for me.Being an "oldie".
If i couldn't,find the money to Go away.The Saddlers,where the next best(cheapest option).Quite suprised too see,many west brom fans there aswell.

[DaveWBA]

I am neither old nor from Birmingham but its Villa everyday for me. They are just a truly horrible bunch of people, as Rowley said snides the lot of them and I'm proud to say that none of my good friends consider themselves Villa fans. Wolves on the other hand are funny - just laugh at them. By and large their fans are decent like us as well (apart from the ones with a blind hatred of us) you can have banter with the Wolves fans, but I'd rather nail my face to the floor than have a conversation with a Villa fan.

Blues isn't really a rivallry in fans terms, its purely geographical, there seems to be a mutual respect and hatred of all things Villa. Stoke isn't a real derby either, yeah they always beat us but so do Man United and I don't dislike them. We've been finishing above Stoke for years, they just got a little carried away when we got relegated, normal service has since been resumed.

Villa will always be the big derby and it will only intensify over the next couple of seasons if we remain the only two Midlands clubs in the PL. Villa fans say they don't care about us but you only have to think back to their actions after we beat them at Villa Park earlier in the season, SOTV.

[Kicking Pigeons]

Are you totally serious here, or is this meant sort of tongue-in-cheek, as a sort of "wind-up" as you English say? I am genuinely curious. I live between New York City and Philadelphia, and Philly fans have a very bad rep due to behavior such as this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itB8TLf3ugM

But I've never heard anyone speak of them with actual antipathy. It's more of a kind of joke, or what we call "trash talk" in the USA.

It's more an 'exaggeration' as us wacky English say. You Americans may say it too maybe, although it is quite a big word so I'm not sure.

[87Baggie]

Are you totally serious here, or is this meant sort of tongue-in-cheek, as a sort of "wind-up" as you English say? I am genuinely curious. I live between New York City and Philadelphia, and Philly fans have a very bad rep due to behavior such as this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itB8TLf3ugM

But I've never heard anyone speak of them with actual antipathy. It's more of a kind of joke, or what we call "trash talk" in the USA.

The thing about Villa fans is they tend to be utterly delusional and inexplicably arrogant. They believe that Villa is a huge club on par with the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool, they also have an unwarranted sense of entitlement where they think they should be finishing in the top 3 every season. These traits seem to stem from them all living in the past (when their team actually was relevant) and as a result they find it impossible to accept that their team is also ran these days and nowhere near as big as they think. Another thing I dont like about Villa is their fickle, plastic fanbase who often dont come from Birmingham or anywhere near it.

Then with Wolves the problem is that a pretty significant percentage of them are absolute knuckle draggers. If you look around the black country the difference between the Wolves and Albion fanbase is quite noticeable, West Brom fans are far from perfect but they tend to be a more well to do, intelligent, classier bunch compared to the Dingles. Wolves also think theyre a lot bigger and more important than they are and this has been pretty much their sole bragging right in recent years, that they have more fan clubs than us lol.

Birmingham- Some Baggies are alright with them and vice versa mainly because of the mutual Villa rivalry. Personally I dont hate them but dont respect them in any way either. They tend to attract the scummiest fans of the lot (Wolves fans give them a run for their money though) mainly thanks to the reputation of their hooligans. they're getting very bitter towards us recently and seem to think theyre a bigger club than us (theyre not) and as such little ol West Brom shouldnt be doing better than them. All in all theyre a very "meh" team.

Stoke- they absolutely despise us but we generally couldnt give a toss about them. They're like a drunken angry chav walking down a high street spoiling for a fight but everyone keeps ignoring them. They just want some proper rivals really I guess.

The rivalries are playful banter on the surface but they definitely have a serious, hostile undertone. I dont hate Wolves fans on an individual level but I do love seeing a crowd of orange shirts crying their eyes out after a humiliating loss to their Black Country neighbours and it fills me with joy to see them down in the Championship, losing their manager and going through turmoil while we're riding high. They'd gloat too if they could.

[NethertonBaggie]

Are you totally serious here, or is this meant sort of tongue-in-cheek, as a sort of "wind-up" as you English say? I am genuinely curious. I live between New York City and Philadelphia, and Philly fans have a very bad rep due to behavior such as this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itB8TLf3ugM

But I've never heard anyone speak of them with actual antipathy. It's more of a kind of joke, or what we call "trash talk" in the USA.

I would gladly nail my brother in laws face to the floor if I could! That goes for half my wifes family as well. Arrogant self rightous c**ks, for yeas ive had to endure parties and get togethers with those muppets lording it over me and my family for being Albion. Even tried to force my son into supporting the vile! Not on my bloody watch they didn,t 

[17GD]

There are many rivals in the Midlands, but they can be decided on many different merits: Distance between grounds, Head-to-head stats and availability.

I believe WBA and Villa are only about 3 miles apart, whereas WBA and Wolves are 16 (?). Walsall aren't too far away either, neither are Birmingham and Coventry.

I haven't done the research, so forgive me for this, but head-to-head stats and availability are also closely linked. I started going to the Albion in 1994, and the derby's were always Albion - Wolves. Walsall were always a division lower and Villa/Coventry were a division higher, so it was a rarity to play anyone other than Wolves or Birmingham.

Over the past 10 years, with Albion being more in the PL than out of it, the Villa derby has tended to take over as the derby, as we've played them more (in my opinion), but haven't won at Villa Park for quite a while, up until this season which made it more of a fierce rivalry.

[RowleyBaggie2]

Are you totally serious here, or is this meant sort of tongue-in-cheek, as a sort of "wind-up" as you English say? I am genuinely curious. I live between New York City and Philadelphia, and Philly fans have a very bad rep due to behavior such as this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itB8TLf3ugM

But I've never heard anyone speak of them with actual antipathy. It's more of a kind of joke, or what we call "trash talk" in the USA.

He means (and i can confirm from expirience) that it's an impossible and unpleasant task to try and have decent banter with a Vile fan as their arrogance allways turns it snidey and nasty - they are simply unable to take anything against them, hence why they reacted to our home win by throwing coins onto a packed railway station platform and our away win by spitting at women, kids and older fans whilst running away when anyone remotely handy approached them to have a go back.

Another sore point is that scores of Villa fans come from Albion, Wolves & Walsall areas and think nothing of travelling over to Birmingham on a matchday and singing insulting songs about the place they are actually from!

Thirdly, Villa fans tend to be very middle class and look down on the fans of Blues, Albion and Wolves who tend to be working class. This means going back to point one they normally go to the football to act the big man before going home to mommy and daddys house in the suberbs of Sutton Coldfield etc.

[Baggie Man]

A lot of people forget about Walsall who generally about 10 years ago had a minor rivalry with us.

[Quakes Fan]

Thank you for this and all these splendid descriptions. Wow. Makes it all so much clearer. Arrogance, lack of place-loyalty, nasty behavior, and class conflict -- yep, sound like the ingredients for bona fide, profound hostility. I'm beginning to hate the Villa jerks myself now, just reading all this, although I don't know if I could bring myself to despise the Wolves as they just sound a bit pathetic.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2050506/Wolves-fans-urinate-West-Brom-pitch-video.html

[btbaggie]

Villa fans middle class      Im sure the residents of Kingstanding, Erdington and Castle Vale where Villa draw a lot of there fans from would be interested to hear that.

[wbasoprano]

Villa fans middle class      Im sure the residents of Kingstanding, Erdington and Castle Vale where Villa draw a lot of there fans from would be interested to hear that.

Haha that's very true! I think he's referring to the Mere Green, Four Oaks, Little Aston, Wylde Green, Walmley, Boldmere, Streetly etc areas though

[btbaggie]

Lot of Albion fans live in those areas as well      Hey we have arrived we are all middle class   

[baggieclaire]

Im from Boldmere!!!! Does that make me posh, ive never been called that before.- but im definately a baggie.

[RowleyBaggie2]

Both Wolves and Villa fans sang songs glorifying those two.

They sang about A man who rolls in his own urine that he's just passed through his incredibly small pecker before encouraging his mate to join him in getting naked.

Black country born, albion by the grace of god.

[Kicking Pigeons]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2050506/Wolves-fans-urinate-West-Brom-pitch-video.html

My signature thingy says it all regarding that little incident. If it was just them peeing on the pitch and laughing, I probably would've been genuinely infuriated, but the fact that the guy did a gambol face first on the spot where he urinated and then one of them asked the other several times to 'strip naked' (the peeing I get, but why would stripping naked aggravate anybody?) just takes any insult of the act since they make themselves look about as ridiculous as one can. It would've also been better for the Wolves fans if the two men were two kids rather than two grown men in their 30s.

[NethertonBaggie]

I honestly couldn't understand half of what the knuckle draggers were saying in that video.
And what do you expect from mongrels any way! They love rolling in there own filth.

[Red Stripe]

Not much rivalry from Stoke since Mowbray left West Brom and Lepkowski stopped writing about us.

Bit of banter around the fixture but that's about it really.  Maybe a few of the Stafford based Stokies may have a bit more of a dislike but I think their ire is generally targeted at Wolves.

[LiamTheBaggie]

Not much rivalry from Stoke since Mowbray left West Brom and Lepkowski stopped writing about us.

Bit of banter around the fixture but that's about it really.  Maybe a few of the Stafford based Stokies may have a bit more of a dislike but I think their ire is generally targeted at Wolves.

Could you expand further on Lepkowski stopped writing about you? What did he say?

[Red Stripe]

Nothing too much, wrote a couple of blogs about us having a go during the promotion season.  Seems he's moved on (as have we).

[Kicking Pigeons]

Nothing too much, wrote a couple of blogs about us having a go during the promotion season.  Seems he's moved on (as have we).

Really? I'm surprised a local journalist (whose paper doesn't even cover the Stoke area) writing a few blogs was enough to incur the wrath of the entire Stoke fanbase. How do/did Stoke fans even know about Chris Lepkowski?

[FallOutBoy]

Really? I'm surprised a local journalist (whose paper doesn't even cover the Stoke area) writing a few blogs was enough to incur the wrath of the entire Stoke fanbase. How do/did Stoke fans even know about Chris Lepkowski?

I think it was to do with the styles of football, Albion doing it the right way instead of hoof-ball Stoke. He got quite nasty if I remember rightly.

Martin Swain in the Express and Stir is much worse though. Even now he keeps having slight digs about the way Stoke play.

[JBullyWBA]

Can't say I blame them, can you?