Nene derby

Last updated

Nene derby
Location East of England
East Midlands
Teams Northampton Town
Peterborough United
First meeting Peterborough 1–1 Northampton
1946–47 FA Cup
(14 December 1946)
Latest meetingPeterborough 5–1 Northampton
League One
(5 March 2024)
Stadiums Sixfields Stadium (Northampton)
London Road Stadium (Peterborough)
Statistics
Most winsPeterborough (35)
All-time seriesPeterborough: 35
Drawn: 19
Northampton: 22
Largest victoryNorthampton 8–1 Peterborough
1946–47 FA Cup
(23 December 1946)

The Nene derby is the name of the association football local rivalry in England between Northampton Town and Peterborough United, both of which are based along the River Nene. Fans of both clubs consider the other to be one of their main rivals. The first competitive match between the two clubs took place in 1946 but the first professional derby took place in 1960. As of 5 March 2024, there has been 76 competitive matches between the two teams, with 36 wins for Peterborough, 22 wins for Northampton and 19 draws. [1]

Contents

The derby has never been played higher than the third tier of English football with 57 league matches, 7 FA Cup matches, 5 League Cup matches and 6 EFL Trophy matches. The most recent game took place in League One and resulted in a 5–1 win for Peterborough.

Northampton play their home games at Sixfields Stadium, while Peterborough play at London Road Stadium. The two stadiums are approximately 37 miles (60 km) apart.

History

Early matches

The first competitive game between the two clubs took place in the second round of the 1946-47 FA Cup. The match took place at Peterborough's London Road Stadium and ended in a 1–1 draw, forcing a replay. The replay ended in another 1-1, forcing a second replay which Northampton won 8–1. This victory still stands as the largest victory in the Nene derby.

Peterborough United won the Midland League five times in a row between 1956 and 1960 before being accepted into the Football League ahead of the 1960–61 season. That season, the Nene derby was played in the league for the first time with the first game ending in a 3–3 draw and the return fixture ending in a 0–3 win for Peterborough. Both teams were promoted to the Third Division as Peterborough won the league and Northampton finished third. Both teams played in the Third Division for the next two seasons before Northampton were promoted as champions in 1963.

The two teams did not play each other in the league again until the 1967-68 Third Division season after Northampton's run in the second and first tier.

1980s

Peterborough were relegated into the Fourth Division ahead of the 1979–80 season. Both teams played in the Fourth Division for eight consecutive seasons until Northampton were promoted as champions in the 1986–87 season. The derby was also played twice in the FA Cup and twice in the League Cup during this period, bringing the total to twenty matches in eight years. The biggest victory over this period was a 6–0 home victory for Peterborough on 24 April 1984. Northampton recorded a 0–5 away victory on 12 October 1985.

Recent years

In the 2019–20 season, Peterborough finished seventh in League One whilst Northampton won the League Two play-offs, meaning that the Nene derby returned for the 2020-21 League One season. Following Northampton's promotion, Peterborough United chairman, Darragh MacAnthony congratulated them and referred to the derby as "The one real 'local' rivalry I've experienced in 15 years at Posh." [2] The first derby of the season was played two days after the death of Tommy Robson, Peterborough's record appearance maker who started his career with Northampton, and was played behind closed doors due to COVID-19 restrictions. Peterborough won the match 0–2 with goals scored by Nathan Thompson and Reece Brown. [3] The second league derby of the season was originally scheduled to take place on Saturday 17 April 2021, however, all English football matches on that day were rescheduled as a mark of respect for the funeral of Prince Philip. [4] [5]

Rivalry

While the proximity of the clubs was the main root of the rivalry between Northampton Town and Peterborough United, other events have fueled the division. Most notable among these are the violent confrontations between fans, famously the "Battle of Abington Park" in April 1974 when approximately 500 fans clashed before, during and after a derby. An eyewitness was quoted as saying "It was like a battle scene from a film where everyone converged to carry out personal duels. I have never seen anything like it." Some of the evidence presented in the court case that followed included "Sticks with nails embedded in the end, part of a brick, broken bottles, a large beer can and a pint mug." [6]

Aside from fan violence, animosity has arisen over transfers between the clubs with Northampton fans accusing Peterborough of poaching players. It has been said that "Northampton fans have never forgiven Peterborough for taking star strikers Tony Adcock and Bobby Barnes when the Cobblers were cash strapped." [7] This, however, has not stopped players from crossing the divide. Gabriel Zakuani, for example, signed for Northampton in 2016 after making 252 appearances for Peterborough. [8]

List of derbies

#SeasonDateCompetitionStadiumHome TeamResultAway TeamAttendance
11946–4714 December 1946 FA Cup London Road Peterborough United 1–1 Northampton Town
219 December 1946 County Ground Northampton Town1–1Peterborough United
323 December 1946County GroundNorthampton Town8–1Peterborough United
41960–618 October 1960 Fourth Division London RoadPeterborough United3–3Northampton Town22,959
525 February 1961County GroundNorthampton Town0–3Peterborough United21,000
61961–6228 October 1961 Third Division County GroundNorthampton Town2–2Peterborough United17,324
717 March 1962London RoadPeterborough United0–2Northampton Town17,009
81962–631 September 1962County GroundNorthampton Town2–3Peterborough United16,064
911 May 1963London RoadPeterborough United0–4Northampton Town17,518
101966–6714 September 1966 League Cup County GroundNorthampton Town2–2Peterborough United5,778
1126 September 1966London RoadPeterborough United0–2Northampton Town9,484
121967–6823 August 1967County GroundNorthampton Town3–2Peterborough United8,157
1323 April 1968Third DivisionCounty GroundNorthampton Town3–1Peterborough United8,934
144 May 1968London RoadPeterborough United4–0Northampton Town6,658
151969–7017 September 1969Fourth DivisionLondon RoadPeterborough United1–0Northampton Town8,557
1614 April 1970County GroundNorthampton Town2–2Peterborough United6,732
171970–7110 November 1970County GroundNorthampton Town2–0Peterborough United8,190
1820 February 1971London RoadPeterborough United1–0Northampton Town8,066
191971–725 February 1972County GroundNorthampton Town1–1Peterborough United5,186
208 April 1972London RoadPeterborough United1–0Northampton Town5,484
211972–7328 August 1972London RoadPeterborough United1–2Northampton Town3,628
2218 November 1972FA CupLondon RoadPeterborough United1–0Northampton Town
2328 April 1973Fourth DivisionCounty GroundNorthampton Town1–3Peterborough United2,411
241973–7417 November 1973London RoadPeterborough United3–0Northampton Town10,351
2513 April 1974County GroundNorthampton Town0–1Peterborough United11,378
261976–772 November 1976Third DivisionCounty GroundNorthampton Town2–2Peterborough United7,483
2712 April 1977London RoadPeterborough United3–1Northampton Town8,944
281979–8022 September 1979Fourth DivisionCounty GroundNorthampton Town1–0Peterborough United3,680
299 February 1980London RoadPeterborough United0–0Northampton Town4,960
301980–8122 November 1980FA CupCounty GroundNorthampton Town1–4Peterborough United
3126 December 1980Fourth DivisionLondon RoadPeterborough United3–0Northampton Town6,265
3221 April 1981County GroundNorthampton Town2–2Peterborough United3,800
331981–8228 November 1981London RoadPeterborough United1–0Northampton Town5,293
3424 April 1982County GroundNorthampton Town1–0Peterborough United4,975
351982–8330 October 1982County GroundNorthampton Town0–0Peterborough United3,284
3612 March 1983London RoadPeterborough United2–0Northampton Town3,778
371983–8427 December 1983County GroundNorthampton Town2–1Peterborough United6,464
3824 April 1984London RoadPeterborough United6–0Northampton Town3,481
391984–8526 December 1984County GroundNorthampton Town0–3Peterborough United4,350
402 April 1985London RoadPeterborough United0–0Northampton Town2,482
411985–8621 August 1985League CupLondon RoadPeterborough United0–0Northampton Town3,117
423 September 1985County GroundNorthampton Town2–0Peterborough United2,464
4312 October 1985Fourth DivisionLondon RoadPeterborough United0–5Northampton Town3,901
4415 March 1986County GroundNorthampton Town2–2Peterborough United3,332
451986–8714 September 1986County GroundNorthampton Town2–1Peterborough United5,517
4616 November 1986FA CupCounty GroundNorthampton Town3–0Peterborough United9,114
4731 January 1987Fourth DivisionLondon RoadPeterborough United0–1Northampton Town7,911
481988–8921 December 1988 League Trophy London RoadPeterborough United0–2Northampton Town1,754
491990–9122 September 1990Fourth DivisionCounty GroundNorthampton Town1–2Peterborough United5,549
505 February 1991London RoadPeterborough United1–0Northampton Town5,952
511994–9512 November 1994FA CupLondon RoadPeterborough United4–0Northampton Town8,739
521995–9616 October 1995League TrophyLondon RoadPeterborough United0–0Northampton Town3,045
531997–9827 January 1998London RoadPeterborough United2–1Northampton Town5,516
541999–0014 August 1999 Division Three Sixfields Northampton Town0–1Peterborough United6,253
5515 January 2000London RoadPeterborough United1–0Northampton Town9,104
562000–0123 December 2000 Division Two London RoadPeterborough United1–2Northampton Town9,868
5727 January 2001SixfieldsNorthampton Town0–0Peterborough United7,079
582001–027 October 2001London RoadPeterborough United2–0Northampton Town8,101
5919 February 2002SixfieldsNorthampton Town2–1Peterborough United6,064
602002–0328 December 2002London RoadPeterborough United0–0Northampton Town7,767
6125 January 2003SixfieldsNorthampton Town0–1Peterborough United5,906
622003–049 December 2003League TrophySixfieldsNorthampton Town2–1Peterborough United4,290
632005–0631 December 2005 League Two SixfieldsNorthampton Town0–1Peterborough United7,023
641 April 2006London RoadPeterborough United0–1Northampton Town8,637
652008–0913 September 2008 League One SixfieldsNorthampton Town1–1Peterborough United6,520
6614 March 2009London RoadPeterborough United1–0Northampton Town8,881
672016–1718 October 2016London RoadPeterborough United3–0Northampton Town9,157
6819 November 2016SixfieldsNorthampton Town0–1Peterborough United7,675
692017–1826 August 2017SixfieldsNorthampton Town1–4Peterborough United6,685
703 October 2017League TrophyLondon RoadPeterborough United1–1Northampton Town2,745
712 April 2018League OneLondon RoadPeterborough United2–0Northampton Town8,613
722019–203 September 2019League TrophySixfieldsNorthampton Town0–2Peterborough United2,234
732020–2110 October 2020League OneSixfieldsNorthampton Town0–2Peterborough United0 [lower-alpha 1]
7416 April 2021London RoadPeterborough United3–1Northampton Town0 [lower-alpha 2]
752023–2419 August 2023SixfieldsNorthampton Town1–0Peterborough United7,684
765 March 2024London RoadPeterborough United5–1Northampton Town9,028
  1. ↑ Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, only a few games were played in front of a reduced crowd, the rest were played behind closed doors.
  2. ↑ Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, only a few games were played in front of a reduced crowd, the rest were played behind closed doors.

Statistics

As of 19 August 2023

Below are the overall statistics for games between Northampton Town and Peterborough United in official matches.

CompetitionPlayedNorthampton winsDrawsPeterborough wins
League57151329
FA Cup 7223
EFL League Cup 5320
EFL Trophy 6222
Total75221934

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References

  1. ↑ "Peterborough United football club: record v Northampton Town". www.11v11.com. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  2. ↑ "Peterborough United congratulate Cobblers on promotion (and not just because Posh usually beat them)!". www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  3. ↑ "Northampton 0-2 Peterborough: Posh see off Cobblers". Sky Sports. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  4. ↑ "Local Derby Clash With Cobblers Moved". www.theposh.com. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  5. ↑ "PETERBOROUGH GAME TO TAKE PLACE ON FRIDAY EVENING". www.ntfc.co.uk. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  6. ↑ Nicholls, Andy; Lowles, Nick (12 June 2007). Hooligans 2: The M-Z of Britain's Football Hooligan Gangs. Milo Books Ltd.
  7. ↑ "Gripped by the Cobblers: MK match is no local derby – you need history for a derby". The NeneQuirer. 18 October 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  8. ↑ "Gabriel Zakuani: Northampton Town close to signing ex-Peterborough defender". BBC Sport. 23 June 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
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