A4 Derby on Boxing Day

Do the majority of City fans now consider Chippenham as our main rivals?

Ironic that we still sing songs about Y**vile despite it being almost twenty years since we played each other. I only went to one game at Huish Park and remember some ugly scenes in the car park that left a very negative impression of the club and town. Presumably some of our older fans had similar experiences with Y**vile that left a serious mark!

Interesting that we never sing about Weymouth, Forest Green, Gloucester, Salisbury, Newport, Dorchester etc despite similar geography and history of semi-regular derby games in the Southern league / Conference / NLS

Yeovil are Bath City’s traditional rivals. We have played them over two hundred and fifty times, many, many more than we have played any other club. Chippenham will have to do as temporary rivals until we get to play Yeovil once again.

And yet Yeovil’s traditional rivals were always Weymouth. It would be good to play them again but they’ve been over the horizon for so long now that I feel almost indifferent towards them.

Whether we like it or not our local rivals are, and have been for some years, Chippenham.

Interesting, I didn't know we'd played them so many times in the past. I suppose the lack of other clubs in Somerset, frequent cup clashes and the rural Vs urban thing all play a part.

I agree with you Martin, time to move on and accept the new reality. Would take Chippenham over Weston SM any day!

If we ever rise up the league's we can turn our attention to Swindon, Cheltenham and Bristol City

I think the difference is that when we were playing Yeovil it was a case of wanting to beat them but with Chippenham it is a desire to not lose to them.
I could accept ( reluctantly) Yeovil beating us but losing to Chippenham tends to highlight the fact we are no longer a top level non-league side

I am sorry, but despite the more recent history, it will always be Yeovil for me!!  Chippenham do not even come a close second.

Interesting comments thanks.

Stating the obvious but harder than ever for City to be a top flight non league club with the likes of Notts County and Stockport taking up space. Upwards movement is the goal of any club but if you scan through the Weymouth or Wealdstone forums it doesn't seem like promotion is working out that well for them at the moment.

Presumably the Yeovil fans enjoyed their trip up the league's but basically they're in a worse position than twenty years ago with historically low attendances and the ground sold to the council to pay off debts.

At least City have made great steps off the pitch in that time with better attendances, more engagement with the wider community and of course fan ownership.

So on balance let's call it City 1 - Yeovil 1 with a Martin Paul penalty in extra time to beat the old enemy!