TRACTOR DERBY

It has been quite a weekend with the Hepworth United men earning their first points of the season in their new elevate division against South Kirby and the Ladies also having the upper hand against Thackley in their league. Add to that the Club Day when today, Far Lane and the new Clubhouse, has been full of brilliant volunteers, kids, boys and girls, parents, all enjoying our wonderful sport in sumptuous weather.

On top of that another excitement was the Tractor Derby-if you are a geographer or interested in rural pursuits, East Anglia is a place you will know about. If not then let's just assume that on those Suffolk and Norfolk soils, stuff grows or grazes in abundance. Ipswich Town and Norwich City are the only two professional clubs in that region and the Old Farm Derby mirrors (almost) the Old Firm Derby in Scotland-that happened this weekend too-bit different geographically!

The two East Anglian clubs have met 145 times with Ipswich winning 60 and Norwich 57, 28 have been drawn. The clubs first met as amateurs in 1902 in the Suffolk and Norfolk League, when the Canaries won 1-0. Today the clubs fought out a 1-1 draw. Norwich became professional in 1905 and Ipswich in 1936, joining the Football League in 1938.
They met in the Third Division South on September 2nd 1939, their first "full on" League game, at Portman Road drawing, suitably 1-1. After that league matches were lost to the War.

Nearest professional clubs are Colchester United, Peterborough United and Cambridge United.