The story of a maiden Sydney Derby

The story of a maiden Sydney Derby

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“Can you shut up?” the woman sitting next to me politely asks a raucous Sydney FC fan.

The mouthy FC fan turns to face the woman, a stunned, yet priceless, expression of bewilderment painted across his face.

“What the hell?” he seems to be asking himself.

“Is this 50-something-year-old woman with glasses really telling me to shut up? I mean, seriously? Fair enough, I’m sitting in the Wanderers section, wearing my FC shirt and scarf  and getting into the faces of the Wanderers fans. And okay, it’s the second half and I’ve given the western wannabes so much lip during the game that I’ve been waiting for someone to stand up and return the abuse. I mean, aren’t these guys meant to be tough? Where are all these so-called staunch guys with their shaved heads and body ink? Why is this harmless-looking 50-something-year-old woman the only one in this entire bay with the balls to have a crack at me? And why does she have to be so nice? Jesus! This is so embarrassing. What the hell is the derby coming to?’

As non-threatening as the 50-something-year-old woman’s request is, it hits the mark and our FC friend, whose continuous commentary should have at least earned him a spot in the press box, stops the verbals. For the remainder of the game, he just continues his consumption of copious amounts of beer and enjoys the football with his mates.

Funnily enough, the 50-something-year-old woman with glasses also happens to be my wife Angie, who is attending her very first Sydney Derby, an unforgettable experience not just because of anything that happens on the field, but also because of this amusing exchange between her and a man young enough to be our son.


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Sitting in the Wanderers section on level two at Allianz Stadium, we are engulfed in a sea of red and black – newborn babies, teens, mums, dads and grandparents, a parochial group of fans who are simply out to enjoy a contest that, in my mind, provides the best sporting atmosphere in Australia.

Angie and I have been to many sporting events around the world. We’ve watched football in New Zealand, Australia, England and Italy. Baseball in New York and LA. Rugby League cup finals and international football at Wembley. In Australia, we’ve been to Rugby League’s State of Origin series. Attended Bledisloe Cup Rugby Union tests between Australia and New Zealand, and enjoyed AFL and NRL semi-finals. Yet, none of these events compare to the FC vs Wanderers derby at Allianz Stadium. They do not even come close.

Why?

Try fervour and passion. There’s a mutual dislike between the two sets of fans, a demographic line in the sand that separates one side of Sydney from the other. East versus west. Rich versus poor. Good versus evil, you name it, it’s there. Such a disparity brings to the surface a devotion to the cause, a feeling of belonging that emerges whenever the Wanderers and Sydney FC play. The active supporter groups are creative, they’re loud, they’re relentless, and while they can at times be obnoxious, the ferocity of their passion is admirable.

This is why, as a Wanderers season ticket holder, I think it’s such a great idea to bring my wife to her first derby. And she isn’t disappointed.

She loves the constant noise, the colour and the passionate support for both teams. The red and black tide at the southern end of the stadium, singing and chanting as one, orchestrating those of us sitting in the stands to join them in unison. The Cove at the opposite end playing their own part, doing their best to wield some influence on the boys in sky blue.

The cacophany of noise starts at kick-off and doesn’t stop until full time and while the sight of thousands of fans chanting “F**k off Eastern Sydney” may be unpalatable to some, this fixture has an extra edge to it, even without the obscenities. Angie can feel the tension in the air and at one point she says: “Oh, my God, I can’t watch this, it’s so nerve-wracking”.

The Wanderers have been fined $50,000 and received a suspended points deduction due to crowd trouble in Melbourne a fortnight ago. This has fans at the derby on edge, waiting for one idiot to light a flare or cause a punch-up that costs us the game, regardless of the outcome on the field. But thankfully nothing happens and we live to fight another day.

News crews from the major television networks wait outside, sniffing a juicy, salacious story, hoping for flares and detonators and violence or any other so-called ‘un-Australian’ behaviour that would again be headline news, scarring a sport the mainstream media considers to be the black sheep of the local sporting landscape. The press hounds leave the stadium with their collective tails between their legs.

So what did we think about the game? It was okay, not the classic some of the media seems to think it was. Both sides squandered opportunities and both sides were weak in defence. Both keepers made some fantastic saves, especially Wanderers debutant Liam Reddy, whose heroics probably kept our side in the game. FC’s Matt Simon showed he can play, while Dario Vidosic’s goal was an absolute gem. But most of all, I’m just relieved that we didn’t lose to our old foes and remain on top of the table. And I say that with an almighty sigh of relief.

As we leave the stadium and stroll to the bus zone with the masses, banter between fans of both sides is light-hearted and engaging. Fathers carry their kids on their shoulders while mums take a moment to grab snacks for the minions. Teenage boys and girls mingle and Angie and I have a laugh about an extraordinary evening. No sign of unruly behaviour, no violence, no obnoxiousness. Just a happy football crowd high on yet another Sydney Derby experience.

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