It'll be a blood-bath!

Last Sunday was "derby day" sports-wise, when a series of local football matches all fell together on the schedule - Chelsea/Fulham, Arsenal/Spurs and Liverpool/Everton.  But where did this expression "derby" for a match between neighbouring teams come from?  Well it originally only applied to the annual Rugby League match between  St Helens and Wigan, which, back in the 1800s were the two parishes at either end of the estate of Lord Derby, and was therefore referred to as the Derby match.  Since when it has been taken up by other local rivalries.  Round my way, it's Wolves and West Brom or, a little further afield, Aston Villa and Birmingham City.