Newcastle United will not have a direct rival next season
By Durim Halimi
With Sunderland in League One and Middlesbrough losing in the Championship play-off, Newcastle will not have direct rivals next season.
Once again, Newcastle United remain the sole representatives of the North East in the top tier of English football. To everyone’s surprise, the Magpies’ main rival, Sunderland, had a horrendous experience in the Championship as they were relegated to League One.
With Sunderland out of the picture, it was up to Middlesbrough to make the most of their fifth place finish in the Championship to earn promotion. However, Middlesbrough were eliminated from the play-off yesterday after losing to Aston Villa by an aggregate score of 1-0.
As a result, Newcastle will have to go at least one more season without competing against their true, geographic rivals. It would have been good for the region and the league to have two Northern clubs in the top flight competing for points and pride. At the end of the day, though, does having a rival in the Premier League truly matter?
Top Flight Rivalries
In short, having a true rival in the Premier League is great for any club as it makes the season more interesting. Pride is on the line and rivalries give supporters a reason to circle two dates on their calendars. Several cities and regions enjoy the presence of two or more clubs creating a competitive atmosphere.
Not having a direct rival in the Premier League for two consecutive seasons is unfortunate, but also irrelevant for Newcastle. With Rafa Benitez in charge, the overall objective for the Magpies is to elevate their status and fight for European qualification.
In other words, Newcastle do not really need a historic rival in the top flight. The Magpies will find themselves developing new rivals each season as several clubs aim to achieve the same objective of winning titles.
No Impact on Support
It is also worth mentioning that the lack of rivals in the Premier League has zero impact on the support the club receives. During the 2017/18 campaign, the Toon Army showed that they are the most loyal group of supporters in England.
Next: 2017-18 Newcastle Toons Awards
Having a direct rival in the league would most certainly make them even more lively. For now, however, each opponent Newcastle faces becomes a key rival for 90 minutes. All Newcastle can do is focus on themselves and work to improve this summer if they wish to finish in the top six.