WHEN it comes to local rivalries, there is no doubt that for Leiston, the Blues versus Lowestoft Town is the longest standing. It could also be described as the most passionate.

The first league meeting between the sides took place almost 130 years ago, in March 1895, in the inaugural season of the North Suffolk League.

That year Lowestoft ‘doubled’ Leiston and the Blues had to wait nine years before finally first tasting victory over their East Suffolk rivals in league action. Matches between the sides in those days attracted large attendances, especially with the train network making travel accessible. Both sides would often see several hundred fans supporting them when travelling to away games.

With such numbers in attendance, often came boisterous support, even for the early 1900’s. Indeed, one such fixture in September 1901 (which Lowestoft won 2-1) saw some unruly behaviour during and after the fixture on the Leiston Recreation Ground! So much so that the County FA enforced a temporary closure of the Recreation Ground for two weeks afterwards.

By 1912 both sides had joined the East Anglian League where success for both came in equal measure.

Three seasons after World War One, the sides came up against each other in the Norfolk and Suffolk League, Lowestoft having been members for several seasons. The first meeting in that competition took place at Victory Road in November 1921, a 2-2 draw ensued.

Leiston left the Norfolk and Suffolk League at the end of the 1925/26 season and by the time they returned in 1948 Lowestoft had already departed to join the new Eastern Counties League. It was the beginning of a drought of Blues/Trawlerboys ties.

For the next 80 years the two teams only met in pre-season friendlies, or end of season Charity Cup matches. Occasionally, the Lowestoft second string would play Leiston in the Suffolk FA Senior Cup.

But the long wait for both first teams to go head-to-head again was over when Leiston clinched promotion to the Eastern Counties League Premier Division in 2004. At that Step Five, the clubs met in the league 10 times and while Lowestoft won four of those games to Leiston’s three, the Trawlerboys never won at Victory Road.

Leiston enjoyed good attendances when Lowestoft came to town, the Trawlerboys often brought good support to Victory Road, more than 600 were in attendance in 2009.

After Leiston gained promotion to Step Three after back-to-back titles, acquaintances were renewed again in 2012 in the Isthmian League Premier Division. Again, Lowestoft held the upper hand with Leiston’s only victory in the eight games they faced each other being a 2-0 success at Crown Meadow in 2018. Lowestoft won three of their four visits to Leiston the other, was a draw. In the Isthmian League, home games at the LTAA averaged more than 550.

The Trawlerboys also won the second of their Suffolk Premier Cup finals in 2016 over the Blues, the first was back in 2006.

Back to the present, and since both sides were transferred to the Southern League Premier Division Central, things have been different, with Leiston gaining the upper hand. In fact, Leiston have won four of the five meetings so far, including all three of their trips to Crown Meadow. The solitary Lowestoft win being a 4-0 success at Victory Road in April 2019.

After a short-spent relegation to Step Four, thankfully, Lowestoft gained promotion back to Step 3 last season and Leiston's longest Suffolk rivalry resumes this Boxing Day at Victory Road, 1pm kick-off.

Everyone loves a bit of local rivalry! Should be a cracker.