*they're on the wrong side of the pennines for a kick-off*"
The Pennines are a range of mountains that run North to South down the centre of Northern England (roughly speaking). Yorkshire and Lancashire are on either side of the range, and historically each consider the other to be on the wrong (that is, the other) side.
For a kick off is a reference to football where one side "kicks off" to start the match. Read it as meaning "for a start".