Barcelona-Real Madrid. Celtic-Rangers. Boca Juniors-River Plate. Stoke City-Port Vale? Few neutrals recognise the Potteries derby between the two Stoke-on-Trent teams as a fierce rivalry. The reason? The teams rarely meet in league clashes. The rivalry is strikingly divisive, even within the ST postcode area. But this derby is so much more meaningful than it is given credit for. In fact, it could be England's most underrated derby. Good rivalries require history, territorial conflict, exciting incidents and passionate fans in fierce defiance of those that profess local supremacy. The Potteries derby has all that and then some. Matches date back to the late 1800s, but the clubs have mostly been kept apart in the English football pyramid. When they have met - in the cup, promotion battles, relegation dogfights or just to claim bragging rights - this derby has delivered unforgettable moments. El Ceramico explores the history of the Potteries derby, with first-hand accounts telling the story of a rivalry like no other.
