Yorkshire v Lancashire

Yorkshire v Lancashire – two great counties, but which is greater?

Who won the War of the Roses?

Lancashire. After several years of fighting, the final victory went to a relatively remote Lancastrian claimant, Henry Tudor. He defeated the Yorkist king Richard III. Though after the war, Henry Tudor married Elizabeth of York to unite the two houses.

Lancashire 1 – Yorkshire – 0

Football

Liverpool Kop

Football is pretty one sided in favour of Lancashire. Football teams from Lancashire fill the Premier League including the most prolific top flight winners. Manchester United (19 League titles), Liverpool (18 League Titles), and Manchester City. Other recent Premier League teams from Lancashire include Bolton Wanderers,  Blackburn Rovers, Burnley, Wigan Athletic, Blackpool. Preston North End won the first national English title

By contrast, Yorkshire singularly fails to have any team in the Premiership. Leeds United had their glory days, before an ignominious decline into the third tier of English football. The two Sheffield teams are perennial underachievers. Bradford City, had a short spell in top tier before their free-fall to the bottom. Doncaster Rovers were runners up in the Yorkshire League (1898-99(

Lancashire 2 – Yorkshire – 0

Cricket

Yorkshire are the undisputed greats of cricket. Yorkshire have 33 County Championship victories, dwarfing Lancashire’s total of 9 county Championships. Well into the modern age, Yorkshire was an anomaly amongst counties in insisting that Yorkshire players were born in Yorkshire.

Lancashire 2 – Yorkshire – 1

Dialect

The Yorkshire dialect is almost its own language, Lancashire has a range of accents, but it has to lose a few points for the Scouser accent.

An old Tyke and a well spoken educated businessman were sat in a pub talking about a local lad who had grown up and made a good life for himself.

Tyke says, Ah knew yon lad fri bein a nipper an  gerrin rahnd baht britches an nah booits to ‘is feet.

Posh bloke says, That may be, but I can  remember him playing out wearing neither trousers nor shoes.

Lancashire 2 – Yorkshire – 2

Landscape

Both counties score pretty well on this count. Though Yorkshire can boost two national parks – the Yorkshire Dales, and the  North York Moors and in Sheffield also touches part of the Peak District.

Wharfedale, West Yorkshire.

Lancashire does well, but we will award it to Yorkshire, for having two national parks.

Lancashire 2 – Yorkshire – 3

People

Yorkshire can claim great people such as William Wilberforce (campaign to abolish slavery), Captain Cook, John Harrison (naval navigation), John Wycliffe (Methodism), Sir Titus Salt and Geoffrey Boycott. see more: Great Yorkshire People

Lancashire

Ian McKellan (b. Burnley), Jim Bowen, Richard Ackwright (1732 – 1792), John Lennon (Beatles), Paul McCartney, George Stephenson, Dame Gracie Fields (1898-1979) Born (Rochdale)

Overall draw –  Lancashire 3 – Yorkshire – 4

Art and Culture

Wigan Pier, Lancashire culture.

• Yorkshire can boast – Henry Moore – sculptor – David Hockney – art. Emily Bronte, Charlotte Bronte (writer), Alan Bennett (writer) Ted Hughes (poet)
• Lancashire gave us George Formby (Wigan) and Coronation Street.
• Need we say more, an easy one for Yorkshire

Overall easy Yorkshire win. –  Lancashire 3 – Yorkshire – 5

Music

Lancashire gave us:

• The Beatles, (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Star)
• Oasis – Liam and Noel Gallagher
• Cilla Black

Yorkshire gave us

Pulp, The Human League and Chris Rea.

No contest. Lancashire have this one in the bag forever. Cilla Black beats Chris Rea any day. Those Beatles weren’t too bad either.

Lancashire 4 – Yorkshire – 5

Battle of the Comedians

Photo: Peter Kay, University of Salford

Staff: “No we do lamb, chicken or fish”

• Peter Kay

Lancashire Comedians

• Peter Kay (Bolton) – greatest living comedian.
• Victoria Wood (lived in Morecambe),
• Eric Morecambe, (b. Morecambe)
• George Formby (b.Wigan)
• Nick Park – Oscar winning creator of Wallace and Gromit
• Jim Bowen (b. Heswell, Wirral) – super, smashing, great; Lancashire lad.

Yorkshire

• Ernie Wise (Bramley)
• Michael Palin (Sheffield)
• Reeves and Mortimer

Even a Python member, Michael Palin, can’t swing it for Yorkshire. We have to give this to Lancashire, thanks to the legendary Peter Kay and Jim Bowen.

No contest. Lancashire. Lancashire 5 – Yorkshire – 5

Olympics

In the 2012 Olympics, if Yorkshire had been an independent country, Yorkshire would have finished in top 10 of the medal table.

Jessica Ennis-Hill, the Brownlee brothers. Ed Clancy, Lizzie Armistead, all representing Yorkshire.

Another one for Yorkshire. Lancashire 5 – Yorkshire – 6

Food and Drink

Yorkshire

• Yorkshire puddings
• Rhubarb
• Parkin
• Wensleydale Cheese
• Yorkshire Tea (grown in the Yorkshire Dales)
• Fat Rascals
• Rowntrees’ / Terry’s chocolate York
• Black sheep ale (Masham)

Lancashire

• Lancashire hot pot
• Eccles cake
• Potted shrimps Morecambe
• Malkin pie – famous witches recipe

Sorry, Yorkshire again. Lancashire 5 – Yorkshire – 7

Independence Movements

The Yorkshire Independence movement is well under way, with the Yorkshire Independence Party, the fastest growing political force in the country. It is only a matter of time, before Yorkshire becomes a new republic within the UK. Lancashire, however, is still reeling from losing its biggest towns of Manchester and Liverpool.

Another one for Yorkshire.

Lancashire 5 – Yorkshire – 8

Overall a clear victory for God’s Own County!

Who would have guessed that!

Related

• Facts about Lancashire
• Facts about Yorkshire

Have your say, what are strengths of Yorkshire and Lancashire?