THERE is nothing like rivalry between two local football clubs to spice up life.

And if it is handled in the right way, and with the right perspective, it can add to the enjoyment of following your team.

Professional clubs are now increasingly aware that they have a responsibility to promote good relations between neighbouring sides, no matter how much the fans dislike each other - but it sometimes goes pear-shaped.

On Saturday Burnley played Norwich City at Carrow Road and the home side dropped a clanger. As soon as the scoreboard flashed up "Manchester United 1 Scum 0", a less than complimentary reference to their East Anglian neighbours Ipswich.

The clubs reaction was commendably quick with the PR machine scrambled faster than club director Delia Smith can do eggs.

A full and frank apology was waiting in the press room at the final whistle and the betting is that the person responsible with have plenty of leisure time on their hands in the weekends to come.

But after a game of football that was a great advert for the first division, it was a shame that the "scum" taunt grabbed the main headlines.

No club will ever stop fans from being derogatory towards the others and everyone knows what Rovers is called by many of the fans in the stands at Turf Moor. But while news of Rovers losing will always be given a huge cheer - and why not - that name will never be used over the public address system, nor should it.

Good natured stick inevitably flies about workplaces in East Lancashire on a daily basis. In the fortnight since I joined the Telegraph, I can't even count the number of times Rovers fans have told me the only reason they want the Clarets to go up is for six points and a goal difference of plus eight. My how I laugh!

But it is that sort of stuff that keeps passions alive. Across the Pennines the only thing that is allowing fans of the two Sheffield clubs to sleep at night is knowing their city rivals are in just as big a mess.

After all, it was always rumoured that Owls fans would not eat streaky bacon because it was red and white striped.

In Bristol City fans will go out and buy electric cookers because rivals Rovers are nicknamed "The Gas".

But at times the rivalry goes over the top and turns into hatred, the classic example being the relationship between supporters of the Glasgow sides, Celtic and Rangers.

That long ago stopped having anything to do with football on the field, being more to do with bigotry and ignorance.

Much has been said and written about the tragic events in the United States a fortnight ago and I have no intention of going on about it here.

But, if it did nothing else I would hope that, at least for a time, the tragedy has added a bit of what I mentioned at the start of the column - perspective.