Local Rivalries: enemies in the women's game

Manchester Derby, North London, Merseyside - local derbies are the pinnacle games of the season for football fans.

But is this the same in the women’s game as it is the men’s?

In 2001, Sol Campbell made the move from Tottenham Hotspur to North London rivals Arsenal after 255 appearances for Spurs. This is an unforgivable offence in the eyes of football fans.

Women’s Super League’s Emma Mitchell made the opposite move in the latest transfer window, seven years on from joining Arsenal. Whilst this would have been a tough decision for Mitchell - the rivalry is innate in players and fans alike after all - it isn’t the same seismic shift as Campbell’s.

The clubs are rivals, the women’s teams are not.

These rivalries aren’t as historic or ingrained as the men’s. For example, Manchester United Women was created at the start of the 2018-19 season and therefore the competition between United and Manchester City and Liverpool isn’t as intense as it is with the men’s teams. A Man United Women player wouldn’t be met with the same sea of boos a men’s player might be from Liverpool fans.

Female footballers cannot afford the same luxuries as male. They have to follow the money. Mitchell is now 27 and wasn’t getting enough game time with current WSL title-holders, Arsenal and whilst a male footballer might take a step down to Championship level instead of moving to a rival, it’s a tougher financial decision in the women’s game.

In order to get more time on the pitch without taking a financial hit, transferring from Arsenal to Tottenham and not having to move house makes sense.

Until female footballers are paid more, this won’t necessarily be a hard decision.

Will the rivalry between women’s teams grow to the intensity of that of the men’s? Only time will tell.

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