Footballing rivalries can be found everywhere on the globe. From the depths of Argentina in the superclásico, where the intense Boca Juniors and River Plate rivalry brings fans from all over the world. The Intercontinental Derby: Galatasaray vs. Fenerbahçe in Türkiye this is a rivalry that spans from Galatasaray being on the European side of the country, and Fenerbahçe being towards the Asian side of the city. Closer to home, the Old Firm, one of the most iconic rivalries in the entire world, one that brings entire communities together in a place where separation and fighting is so common. Its fierce nature has historically influenced Scottish culture and politics far beyond the pitch.
But this is not that kind of article, it’s about rivalries and how fans at the core of the creation, the connection and the hostility. If we look beyond the competitiveness which defines these derbies, we open our eyes to the uniqueness of each one. If we go to the Northwest of Glasgow, for example, we enter the territory of the ‘Jags’. Partick Thistle is an iconic Scottish football team formed in 1876 which showcases the survival of clubs in locations who have some of the country’s largest clubs and fanbases alive. They have passionate and loyal supporters who follow them across the country week in week out bleeding their iconic colours of red, yellow and black.
In recent years we have seen such a shift in the way football clubs and fans are perceived. They used to be named the “casuals” but overtime they have evolved into the “Ultras”. Most teams in Scotland have a designated section for the fans, for those that travel to every game bringing atmosphere, energy and passion supporting their team to the very end.
Down the M8 though we see their rivals ‘The Diamonds’ Airdrieonians F.C. Based in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, it’s a club that is the successor to the original Airdrieonians that were founded in 1878 and liquidated in 2002. They currently sit in 9th of the Scottish Championship and have drawn, lost, and won their last 3 games.
But how did this rivalry come to be? A 30-minute drive apart, a Glasgow team vs a Lanarkshire team? What is their connection?
Unlike the Old Firm or the Edinburgh Derby, it isn’t based on being in the same city, but rather a mixture of 1980s hooliganism, a high-stakes title race in 2002, and the unfortunate collapse of the original Airdrieonians club.
The rivalry took root back in the 1980’s primarily between the clubs organised groups of hooligans otherwise known as the “firms”. The clashes between these two groups became so vital towards the rivalry as we see it today. The 2001-02 season was so key to the rivalry as it had reached a boiling point. Both teams were fighting for the title and a promotion to the SPL.
Partick ended up winning the race and clenching the title finishing 10 points clear whereas Airdrie were suffering massive financial trouble after their season ended and eventually went into liquidation mere days after the season came to a close.
Fans are the core of football. Whether in the past or the present, no matter what has happened within the club, the constant remains the fans. People who have fallen in love with a team and put every blood sweat and tear they can possibly produce into the team to help their club reach the heights it truly believes it can. Thousands of pounds every week spent just to watch your team play because it brings a joy which can’t be described.
Fans are neglected, not heard, not respected, not valued. Each week a club will stride its direction elsewhere for the sheer intention of their own benefit rather than the club, we see it all over from clubs like Celtic begging to ‘Sack the Board’ and smaller clubs like Inverness Caledonian Thistle, who faced backlash from fans after the board proposed a controversial plan: moving the clubs training base over 130 miles south towards Fife to save costs.
But the fans viewed this as not loyal to their heritage and a betrayal of the club’s highland identity. Hundreds of fans attended a protest and may threatened to boycott their season tickets.
This intense pressure from the fanbase led to the resignation of chairman Ross Morrison, and the reversal of the training facility’s plans. Then in 2026, fans are always on high alert as the club has hinted towards administration. Protests have shifted their focus towards a demand for sustainable local focused ownership.
In football if fans are not prioritised and appreciated, clubs will begin to fall faster than we can deal with, fans are the glue that holds clubs together and if we see more and more of these clubs push them aside, we will lose the Scottish football we so dearly love.
Clubs all over the country are facing backlash every day for how they are run, whether this is from the lack of communication to the fanbase or the push aside of actual priorities rather than focus more on the improvement of the club than the business aspect of the club.
It creates unneeded tension within clubs between the higher-ups and the fanbase. Scottish football is undoubtedly in a bizarre time, as we see so many stories begin to unfold.
Ultimately, the roar from the terraces isn’t just background noise; it is the heartbeat that keeps these institutions alive. Whether it’s the high-stakes friction of a Glasgow-Lanarkshire derby or the collective stand of a Highland community protecting its identity, the narrative of Scottish football is written by those who bleed their club’s colours. From the “Jags” to the “Diamonds,” history proves that while boards may come and go, the fans are the only true permanent fixture.
As we move further into 2026, the message from the stands is louder and clearer than ever: football is nothing without the people. We are witnessing a pivotal era where the “customer” is reclaiming their title as “custodian.” The successful reversal of the Inverness move wasn’t just a local victory; it was a blueprint for the modern era. It served as a stark reminder to every boardroom from the Premiership to the Highland League that a club’s heritage isn’t a line item to be traded, but a sacred trust to be guarded.
If Scottish football is to navigate this chapter and emerge stronger, the suits in the upper tiers must stop looking at the stands as a demographic and start seeing them as the foundation. The tension is palpable, the stakes are existential, and the patience of the Scottish supporter is wearing thin. We don’t just need better business models; we need a return to the soul of the game. After all, when the final whistle blows and the lights go dim in every stadium, it’s the fans who remain, waiting for next week, ready to do it all over again.
