It is fair to say that Northern Ireland is a country that has had its fair share of conflict. No one who survived the Troubles will ever forget the bloodshed, horror and state of constant fear in which they lived. Football, of course, pales into insignificance when compared to that period of history, yet there are also some links to be found between what happened and the biggest footballing rivalry in the country.
In fact, there are very few things in Northern Ireland that don’t have some tie-in back to that time, such is the nature of turmoil that always bubbles away under the surface of life in the country.
Bel Classico
When it comes to association football in Northern Ireland, there is only one match that tends to capture the imagination more than any other. Known as the ‘Big Two Derby’ and occasional referred to by the mildly comical name of ‘Bel Classico’, it pitches Linfield against Glentoran. They are two Belfast clubs that are not only the city’s most successful, but also the most supported. It is for this reason that the games that are played between them carry such significance and are seen as being hugely important moments in the season. They’ve also contested the most cup finals in the country.
@match_in_a_minute Watching Bel Classico in the Glens end. Where does the Belfast Big Two rivalry rank in terms of Irish derbies? Away end roulette with the boys at @shirtinabox #football #footballtiktok #irishtiktok #irishfootball #Soccer #groundhopping #groundhoppertiktok #LinfieldFC #glentoranfc #Ultras #niflpremiership ♬ original sound – Match In A Minute 🎥
In other words, if there are domestic honours being competed over in Northern Ireland then there is a very good chance that one, if not both, of Linfield and Glentoran will be involved. Combined, they have won more league titles, League Cups and Irish Cups than any other side, which is a fact that shows no sign of slowing down. It is Linfield that boasts the lion’s share of silverware out of the two sides, but have also long-held a financial advantage over the rest of Northern Irish football. Indeed, in 1912, seven of the eight league clubs chose to resign from the Irish Football Association over it.
The History of the Rivalry
Jmchugh1962, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
When it comes to Northern Ireland, virtually everything is steeped in history that it would take a thesis to even begin to explain. Nevertheless, we will look to boil it down as best as possible here. Until 1949, the ‘Big Two’ referred to Linfield and Belfast Celtic, which were traditionally the country’s two must successful clubs at that point. As one club was followed by unionists and the other by nationalists, it was common for sectarian violence to break out. When Belfast Celtic chose to leave the Irish League at the end of the 1948-1949 season, it left Glentoran as Linfield’s main rivals.
Although both reams are predominantly Protestant, Glentoran had Catholic players and supporters for much of its history. Prior to the 1980s, Linfield rarely fielded Catholic players to such an extent that there were accusations of the club having an anti-Catholic policy similar to Rangers in Scotland. Support for the two clubs is pretty much split along geographic lines, thanks to the fact that Linfield are based in the south of the city and Glentoran are located in the east. Whilst both play their matches in Belfast, Linfield are found in County Antrim, whilst Glentoran are in County Down.
The first game between the pair took place on the first of October 1887. A friendly match, Linfield won it 3-1 at a time when they were known as Linfield Athletic. The first competitive match occurred during the inaugural Irish League campaign, seeing Linfield run out 7-0 winners on the 18th of October 1890, whilst the reverse fixture ended 6-0 in their favour. The rivalry is as much about the size of the two fanbases as it is anything that happens on the pitch. In the wake of Belfast Celtic ceasing to exist, Glentoran has been the only club to have a rivalry of a similar size to Linfield’s.
No Other Rivalry Comes Close
Both Linfield and Glentoran have rivalries with other clubs based in Belfast, but they don’t really come close to the one that they share with each other. Cliftonville and Crusaders are located in North Belfast, but the fact that they aren’t as successful as the ‘Big Two’ means that they aren’t considered rivals in any meaningful way. In fact, the pair consider each other to be their main rivals, taking part in the North Belfast rivalry each time they play. Traditionally, they also both shared a rivalry with Lisburn Distillery, but this has cooled in recent years thanks to their downturn in fortunes.
There have been moments when the on-pitch rivalry has spilled over to off the pitch. In 1985, for example, Linfield and Glentoran were competing in the Irish Cup final at the Oval. Supporters of Glentoran released a cockerel, their club emblem, and a blue-painted pig onto the pig in order to taunt their opposition. In 2005, Linfield fans broke through a perimeter fence at the same stadium, throwing missiles at Glentoran fans. Nine fans were charged with violent conduct, thanks to the fact that nine police officers and two Glentoran fans got injured during the altercation.
