Revealed! The most fiercely contested derbies in English football - and where Middlesbrough vs Newcastle ranks

Incredibly, it’s been 11 years since Middlesbrough last faced Newcastle United in a competitive fixture.

By Jason Jones

Published 24th Feb 2021, 10:00 BST

Updated 24th Feb 2021, 10:27 BST

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Coincidences involving promotion and relegation to and from the top flight have meant that the two sides haven’t been in the same division since 2010, and with no cup clashes to speak of, it’s been quite some time since we saw a Tyne-Tees derby.

The most recent meeting between Boro and the Magpies ended in a 2-2 draw at the Riverside in March 2010, with Barry Robson and Scott McDonald on the score-sheet for the hosts.

You have to go all the way back to October 2006 for the last time that Middlesbrough beat the Toon Army.

That game came in the Premier League, with Yakubu scoring an 85th minute winner to take all three points at the Riverside.

But of course, this is a rivalry that stretches back way beyond the past decade or so.

The first official meeting between Middlesbrough and Newcastle came in the FA Cup in 1893, with Boro winning 3-2 that day.

In the years since, the sides have met on 128 other occasions, but who has had the better of the clashes, and how does it rank in terms of ferocity compared to some of the biggest rivalries in English football?

Paddy Power have ran the numbers, comparing win percentages from derby clashes between every Championship club and their most fierce foes to determine which clashes truly are the most competitive.

Click and scroll through the pages below to read our countdown...