This weekend we will witness the biggest game in the history of the world.

Well, that’s what they are making it out to be, anyway.

I love football and have waited and waited for this game like nothing else.

It is the first time I will actually get to experience a league game between these two neighbouring towns.

Yet I know when you wait for something, things always turn out to be less spectacular than you expect.

Now, I know a lot has been written in the past few weeks about the East Lancashire derby (a little too much in my opinion!).

So should we put things into perspective? This is after all 'only game of football,’ I got told this week by someone who is not a supporter.

At first I laughed at the poor fellow. Only a game? THIS is not ONLY a game!

But maybe he was right. This is only a game of football between two teams.

OK, we are only separated by a few miles but there has to be more to life than football?

Why was so much attention being given to what essentially is a pastime?

Had I really been wasting so many hours following a football club and playing this stupid sport for so many years?

When you add everything up, there are more bad memories than good ones.

And should I really look at someone I know to be from this ‘other’ town and feel a level of anger and disdain?

OK, he’s a Dingle and I’m not. So what? We are essentially the same, aren’t we?

But then it hit me. No, this is not only a game. It is more than that.

And yes, everyone should be bothered what happens on Sunday.

And if we lose I’m not coming out for a whole day.

All that stuff about it being only a game came from people who do not really understand.

I do, however, feel a little sad for my brother, who first attended a Blackburn and Burnley fixture back in the sixties.

He will be in far-off Bahowal (my native Pakistani village) this weekend huddled around a TV set catching the odd highlight in between the constant power cuts.

Maybe this is more than just another game after all.