GOOD Friday is upon us – the red letter day in rugby league calendar and still the ultimate and original derby.

You would have to describe the relationship between the sides as something as a love-hate one and the irreverent ‘song sheets’ that will be rattled off from both ends of the ground tomorrow will underline that.

Anyone who doesn’t realise how uniquely special this fixture is cannot have been stood up on the Watersheddings this time 34 years ago.

Wigan had been relegated the previous year and so Saints had to play Oldham on the traditional Boxing Day and Good Friday dates.

The Roughyeds, back then, were always capable of giving Saints a game, but it just was not the same; Not the same history, passion, feeling and intensity.

Sport thrives on rivalry.

As much as Celtic fans rejoice in the turmoil that has taken place at Ibrox post 2012, there are probably more than a few fans of The Bhoys longing for a restoration of the Old Firm clashes in Glasgow.

As much as we all hoped back in 2006 that Wigan would fall through the top flight trapdoor again, the fixture card would have been blander without the crackle of a real Good Friday derby.

That said, the last five years Wigan have spoiled Easter – winning the last derby game at Knowsley Road and the first one at Langtree Park. We certainly owe them one.

The programming of this clash makes it easy to reminisce and there have been some classics.

For me three Good Fridays will always stay with me.

In 1986 when centre Mark Elia plunged over the line late in the game to deny Wigan the title was one and ten years later Saints rallied from a 16-4 deficit in the first derby encounter of Super League to announce that the new era was dawning.

Saints were on fire that afternoon, with the pick of the tries seeing Keiron Cunningham back up Derek McVey’s run before popping it up for Danny Arnold.

Midway through those years was a clash that summed up the very compelling nature of the Saints v Wigan rivalry.

In 1993, Saints drew 8-8 at Central Park in a match that had been such a monumental struggle.

The result ensured that The Riversiders sneaked the title on points difference.

But it was quite a battle and no player felt the scars more deeply than Kevin Ward who suffered a career ending double leg break that murky afternoon in front of 29,839 partisan supporters.

A great fixture, a wonderful tradition and long may it continue.