By Joffa - 18 Oct 2017 9:42 PM
Melbourne v Sydney: which city boasts the biggest and best A-League derby?
News Corp Australia’s football writers unpack one of the game’s big talking points.
THIS WEEK: Which derby is bigger — Melbourne or Sydney?
DAVID DAVUTOVIC (Herald Sun)
“Melbourne may have had a two-year derby headstart, but the Sydney derby has overtaken it by virtue of Western Sydney’s sudden impact.
The Wanderers may be steeped in the DNA of inaugural coach Tony Popovic, but with the foundations solidified, they will continue to thrive.
The battle for Sydney is a passionate, intense affair despite being relatively new.
The battle for Sydney is a passionate, intense affair despite being relatively new.Source:News Corp Australia
While the atmosphere has dropped slightly with the Wanderers moving due to their stadium renovation, once they return to Parramatta Stadium they will only grow.
Foundation A-League clubs Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC are rock-solid, but Melbourne City are the ones with ground to make up and one wonders what a maiden title, or at least grand final appearance, will do for their supporter base.”
CARLY ADNO (Daily Telegraph)
“The Sydney derby wins hands down. The immediate and huge success of the Western Sydney Wanderers, with the most passionate fans in the country, adds an atmosphere to the games that’s unique in Australia.
But the Sydney fans play their part too, with the active support groups at either end chanting throughout the match.
On the field, the competition is fierce and the rivalry genuine given plenty Sydney FC players come from the west and vice versa. It’s a massive derby and it’s only going to get bigger.”
Wanderers fans have brought noise and colour to the A-League.
Wanderers fans have brought noise and colour to the A-League.Source:AAP
MARCO MONTEVERDE (Courier Mail)
“Sydney beats Melbourne in the derby battle.
Western Sydney Wanderers are the main reason, with the support they generate being the making of the Sydney derby.
The Wanderers’ Western Sydney location — a true working-class football heartland — is also crucial to their rivalry with Sydney FC.
Melbourne City don’t yet have the support to give the Melbourne derby the true edge and atmosphere it needs.”
VAL MIGLIACCIO (Adelaide Advertiser)
“The Melbourne derby is king of Australia by a country mile, even though it’s a one-way street led by Victory.
What intrigues me most is that despite the billions of dollars Melbourne City owners, the City Football Group, has, money cannot buy what Victory has built in such a short space of time.
Melbourne Victory’s standing and support base gives weight to their derby fixtures.
Melbourne Victory’s standing and support base gives weight to their derby fixtures.Source:AAP
In just 12 years Victory has encouraged one of the largest supporter bases to jump on board and it is also building something else money can’t buy — culture and tradition.
Victory gives out all the signs that it is a massive club with solid foundations — so too does City from a monetary point of view.
City is slowly closing the gap on the pitch and the games are always edge of the seat stuff in stadiums dominated by thousands of Victory diehards.
But at this point in time Victory’s fans are somewhat like Australia’s version of Germany’s Borussia Dortmund — they’ll always be there no matter what — while City is an Aussie version of AS Monaco, a great side that cannot attract a decent fan base.”
MATT WINDLEY (Herald Sun)
“Unfortunately, even with my Melbourne hat on, I’d have to say the Sydney derby is bigger and better.
Crowds for the Melbourne version have been on the decline in the past few years.
A title would go some way to energising Melbourne City’s support base.
A title would go some way to energising Melbourne City’s support base.Source:Getty Images
City fans stay away from Etihad Stadium derbies in droves but the excuses about ticket prices and being so far away from the action don’t wash for me considering that these are supposed to be the biggest games of the year.
There is also a growing trend of AAMI Park derbies failing to sell out, too — and that is arguably the premier ground in the competition — so the reasons for the drop are obviously deeper than affordability and proximity to the pitch.
Victory-City feels like big brother-little brother. Sydney FC and Western Sydney, from the outside looking in, feels like so much more than that.
Here are two clubs on equal footing, who do not like each other, creating a fantastic atmosphere both at Allianz and ANZ stadiums. These games are the biggest events of the season.”
THIS WEEK: Which derby is bigger — Melbourne or Sydney?
DAVID DAVUTOVIC (Herald Sun)
“Melbourne may have had a two-year derby headstart, but the Sydney derby has overtaken it by virtue of Western Sydney’s sudden impact.
The Wanderers may be steeped in the DNA of inaugural coach Tony Popovic, but with the foundations solidified, they will continue to thrive.
The battle for Sydney is a passionate, intense affair despite being relatively new.
The battle for Sydney is a passionate, intense affair despite being relatively new.Source:News Corp Australia
While the atmosphere has dropped slightly with the Wanderers moving due to their stadium renovation, once they return to Parramatta Stadium they will only grow.
Foundation A-League clubs Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC are rock-solid, but Melbourne City are the ones with ground to make up and one wonders what a maiden title, or at least grand final appearance, will do for their supporter base.”
CARLY ADNO (Daily Telegraph)
“The Sydney derby wins hands down. The immediate and huge success of the Western Sydney Wanderers, with the most passionate fans in the country, adds an atmosphere to the games that’s unique in Australia.
But the Sydney fans play their part too, with the active support groups at either end chanting throughout the match.
On the field, the competition is fierce and the rivalry genuine given plenty Sydney FC players come from the west and vice versa. It’s a massive derby and it’s only going to get bigger.”
Wanderers fans have brought noise and colour to the A-League.
Wanderers fans have brought noise and colour to the A-League.Source:AAP
MARCO MONTEVERDE (Courier Mail)
“Sydney beats Melbourne in the derby battle.
Western Sydney Wanderers are the main reason, with the support they generate being the making of the Sydney derby.
The Wanderers’ Western Sydney location — a true working-class football heartland — is also crucial to their rivalry with Sydney FC.
Melbourne City don’t yet have the support to give the Melbourne derby the true edge and atmosphere it needs.”
VAL MIGLIACCIO (Adelaide Advertiser)
“The Melbourne derby is king of Australia by a country mile, even though it’s a one-way street led by Victory.
What intrigues me most is that despite the billions of dollars Melbourne City owners, the City Football Group, has, money cannot buy what Victory has built in such a short space of time.
Melbourne Victory’s standing and support base gives weight to their derby fixtures.
Melbourne Victory’s standing and support base gives weight to their derby fixtures.Source:AAP
In just 12 years Victory has encouraged one of the largest supporter bases to jump on board and it is also building something else money can’t buy — culture and tradition.
Victory gives out all the signs that it is a massive club with solid foundations — so too does City from a monetary point of view.
City is slowly closing the gap on the pitch and the games are always edge of the seat stuff in stadiums dominated by thousands of Victory diehards.
But at this point in time Victory’s fans are somewhat like Australia’s version of Germany’s Borussia Dortmund — they’ll always be there no matter what — while City is an Aussie version of AS Monaco, a great side that cannot attract a decent fan base.”
MATT WINDLEY (Herald Sun)
“Unfortunately, even with my Melbourne hat on, I’d have to say the Sydney derby is bigger and better.
Crowds for the Melbourne version have been on the decline in the past few years.
A title would go some way to energising Melbourne City’s support base.
A title would go some way to energising Melbourne City’s support base.Source:Getty Images
City fans stay away from Etihad Stadium derbies in droves but the excuses about ticket prices and being so far away from the action don’t wash for me considering that these are supposed to be the biggest games of the year.
There is also a growing trend of AAMI Park derbies failing to sell out, too — and that is arguably the premier ground in the competition — so the reasons for the drop are obviously deeper than affordability and proximity to the pitch.
Victory-City feels like big brother-little brother. Sydney FC and Western Sydney, from the outside looking in, feels like so much more than that.
Here are two clubs on equal footing, who do not like each other, creating a fantastic atmosphere both at Allianz and ANZ stadiums. These games are the biggest events of the season.”
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TOM SMITHIES (Daily Telegraph)
Catch a Melburnian in a quiet moment and they’ll admit that actually the weather there isn’t the greatest — and the truth is they feel the same about their derby too.
There have been great moments in Melbourne derbies of course, but you need more than great moments for a great series.
From the very first derbies of 2012 the Sydney classico had a unique feel — whether the crammed nature of Parramatta Stadium, with fans piled up in corners, or the great sweep of Wanderers supporters marching on Allianz Stadium.
Last year’s record crowd for a club match at ANZ Stadium rather summed it all up, a game that has become integral to the sporting landscape whatever the fortunes of the teams at the time.
http://www.news.com.au/sport/football/a-league/melbourne-v-sydney-which-city-boasts-the-biggest-and-best-aleague-derby/news-story/3d66c75922dc523a3e836f6010c0b4a9
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By n i k o - 20 Oct 2017 1:33 PM
Look for me it has to be Sydney. I think a lot of the points people have made are valid regarding the geographical location, socio economic issues etc.
LFC you've certainly hit the nail on the head regarding your last comment. The derby is victorys biggest turn out so trying to pass it off that they don't care is simply not true based on the numbers that show up. I think the rivalry is dormant though as you suggest. There is simply no way anyone can forget that WSW huge success made a massive impact on their supporter base which then turned up the heat between their rivalry with Sydney.
It's all hypothetical but had Heart or City had more success up to now and stolen some of that limelight the rivalry between us and victory would probably be in a different place. Add on top of that we wouldn't be at 11,000 members (which is rising each season) but quite possibly at 15,000 if not more. It will be a matter of time but we need success, we need the new members to become rusted on. And it really boils down to us being a threat for both titles and number of supporters. As we bridge that gap I beleive that the rivalry will grow further.
With the round two derby done and dusted I feel that if anything the real detriment to our rivalry really is having to play each other 4 times last season. I could feel the flow on effects of that into the game last week,mit just didn't feel the same. The league needs a freshen up and we need 1 home and 1 away game. Anyway that's another topic for which we have many to discuss in.
Look forward to this topic being rehashed again this time next year.
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