Bristol City F.C. - Rivalries

Rivalries

Bristol City's traditional and biggest rivals are Bristol Rovers. The clubs have met 105 times, with the first meeting in 1897. Bristol City have the most wins on 43. However, the clubs have not been in the same league for a number of years, and meetings have been inconsistent in the 21st Century. They were last in the same division in the 2000–01 Season. Since then, they have only met twice, in the two-legged southern final of the 2006–07 Football League Trophy.

City's other main rivals are Cardiff City, who play in nearby Cardiff. Despite being a local derby, it crosses the Wales-England border, making it one of the few international derbies in the United Kingdom. Both clubs have been at similar levels over the past 10 years, except between 2003 and 2007 when Cardiff were a division above. This has meant frequent meetings in the league including in the semi-finals of the 2003 Second Division play-offs. Both clubs are currently in the championship with Bristol City winning their most recent encounter 4–2 on 25 August 2012.

Other clubs have been seen as 'third rivals' by the fans and media. Swindon Town are seen by many as rivals, being nicknamed 'Swindle' by City fans. Plymouth Argyle have also been considered rivals despite a distance of over 100 miles. The rivalry has developed in recent years as the two clubs were the highest ranking West Country clubs for a number of years, and meetings were seen as a decider of the 'Best in the west'. Swansea City and even Yeovil Town have previously been mentioned as rivals, but very rarely.