Severnside Derby

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Current Results
(Major Competitions Only)

From 72 games:

33 Bristol City Wins
22 Cardiff City Wins
17 Draws

Last League Meeting

March 22, 2008:

Cardiff City	2-1	Bristol City
Johnson 44	H/T	Adebola 73
Whittingham 81	(1-0)

Football League Championship,
Ninian Park, Cardiff, Wales
Attendance: 16,458

Next Match

Date:

Unknown

Competition: Unknown

Venue: Unknown

The Severnside Derby is a local football derby in the United Kingdom between Welsh club, Cardiff City F.C. and English club, Bristol City F.C. Although neither team lists the other as their main rivals,^[1] this is still considered a fierce and bitter feud.^[2] The title Severnside Derby has also been used for matches involving Newport County A.F.C. and Bristol Rovers F.C. as well. However it traditionally refers to the two cities of Bristol and Cardiff.

1 Reasons for the rivalry
2 Violence
3 Recent Classic Matches
4 Notable Characters in past encounters
5 Head to Head Record
6 References
7 External links

[edit] Reasons for the rivalry

Although it is a traditional local rivalry, it is different in that the two teams are actually in different countries, Wales and England respectively, increasing somewhat the hostility between the two teams. A swell as bragging rights the matches are seen as an "international contest" to prove which country is superior.^[3]^[4] Both sets of fans use this to taunt each other with patriotic songs as well offensive props. Bristol City fans often previously brought inflatable sheep to the derby, incinuating that Cardiff fans were "sheep shaggers". Although in recent years the term has been less frequently used by Bristol fans as Cardiff have readily adopted the name and often use the chants themselves.

Cardiff fans often refer to Bristol fans as "Wurzels", in reference to TV character Worzel Gummidge and band The Wurzels who both famously spoke with a west country accent. The game is often played in a hostile and intimidating atmosphere in both Cardiff and Bristol.^{[citation needed]}

In the Football Fans census in 2003 about football rivalries, Bristol City and Cardiff were listed as 10th and 13th in the UK respectively in a list of teams.,^[1]

[edit] Violence

Both teams fans have a history of hooliganism and have their own hooligan firm. Cardiffs being the Soul Crew and Bristol City with the City Service Firm. Due to the fierce rivalry and the history of the two teams the encounters can end up with some sort of conflict, commonly pre-organised.^[5]

In an attempt to discourage the violence, games between the two are usually kept "all coach", meaning that everyone travelling to an away game must travel using the club's official transport and therefore no-one can travel to the game of their own accord.^[6] The coaches are usually accompanied by a heavy police presence and away fans are tend to be kept in the ground after the game until the home fans have all left. While this has been mildly successful from stopping organised fights fans still attempt to attack each other by throwing objects such as bottles and coins during the game.^[5]

The violence involved with this derby was featured in a BBC documentary in 2001, "Hooligans". In the programme a reporter wearing a hidden camera infiltrated the Soul Crew, exposing the use of racist chanting and abuse as well as a lack of control by stewards and police.^[5]

[edit] Recent Classic Matches

Cardiff City 1 - 3 Bristol City - Thursday 27 December 2001^[7]

A night-time kick off ensured a heated and passionate affair. Cardiff took an early lead through Graham Kavanagh. But three goals in the space of four minutes in the second half gave Bristol City the victory. This game is renowned because after Scott Murray scored his second, silencing the home crowd, he ran the length of the Cardiff home stand with his hand to his ear.

Cardiff City 1 - 0 Bristol City - 10 May 2003 and Bristol City 0 - 0 Cardiff City - 13 May 2003

Both teams finished in the play offs for the 2002-03 Season meaning two matches would be played to decide who would go on to challenge for a place in the Football League Championship. Despite losing both games during the season, Cardiff City beat Bristol City for the first time since 1971 at Ninian Park. They held on for a 0-0 draw at Ashton Gate pipping Bristol City to promotion whilst also ensuring the rivalry retained its bitterness.

Bristol City 1 - 0 Cardiff City - 15 December 2007

The two teams did not meet for 4 years between 2003 and 2007, but after Bristol City won promotion in the 2006-07 Season they met again on 15 December 2007 at Ashton Gate. In the Official Football League Preview magazine, every team was asked which team they were most looking forward to visiting. Both Bristol City and Cardiff City listed each other. The atmosphere was heated, and the game came to life after Steven Thompson was sent off for a tackle on Bristol City goalkeeper Adriano Basso. Bristol City scored the only goal of the game in the 57th minute. Marvin Elliott was given cedit for the goal, despite former Swansea City striker Lee Trundle claiming the ball hit him last.

Cardiff City 2 - 1 Bristol City - 22 March 2008

The return fixture of the December meeting of the two clubs. Cardiff defender Roger Johnson opended the scoring in the first half before Dele Adebola levelled in the 73rd minute. With ten minutes remaining, Bristol City appeared to take the lead through Steve Brooker, but it was ruled offside. Only a minute later, Cardiff midfielder Stephen McPhail was fouled in the box and was awarded a penalty. Peter Whittingham stepped up and saw his penalty saved by Bristol goalkeeper Adriano Basso, only for him to score on the follow up. Bristol manager Gary Johnson was later sent to the stands by the referee after tussling with the fourth official while trying to retrieve the ball.

[edit] Notable Characters in past encounters

Unlike the South Wales derby, and the Bristol derby, it is not usually frowned upon to sign a player or manager who has played for the opposition in the Severnside Derby. The only players that are disfavoured are players who are remembered for one-off incidents.

Such players include, Bristol City player, Lee Trundle who is hated by Cardiff fans for a long affiliation with rivals Swansea City. After winning the LDV Vans Trophy in 2006, Trundle took to the pitch wearing a t-shirt depicting a Swansea fan urinating on a Cardiff City shirt. He also held up a Flag of Wales with the words "Fuck off Cardiff" on it but claimed he did not realise it was written on there.^[8] Robert Earnshaw who played for Cardiff City as a striker. He was brought up in Caerphilly a small town near Cardiff. He was often known for taunting Bristol City fans and was disliked for a long affiliation with Cardiff for being considered ugly by Brtistol fans.^{[citation needed]} Scott Murray of Bristol City is disliked by Cardiff fans for overturning a 1-0 loss and then running past the Cardiff crowd with his hand to his ear taunting them as well as a long affiliation with Bristol.