Football has always evoked these fierce passions. I watched Sunday's game on telly, but from what I saw, the atmosphere was considerably less volatile than the cup tie in 1984. It's a shame that there always have been and always will be a few idiots who can't appreciate a ferocious desire to put one over on your local rivals, without spilling over into hatred. And the mood of what looked like the majority of Saturday's crowd did not reflect well on the sport or their club. So maybe the idiots influenced the mood of the whole crowd, but in truth I've seen much worse. I thought the atmosphere at SMS 2 years ago was brilliant, and all the better for the edge the rivalry created. Maybe I'm biased, but it seemed to me that day that most of the crowd took the baiting and taunting as a form of pantomime.
Going back to the comment about the song including the line 'get your father's gun'. It was sung regularly in the Premier League even before Pompey were promoted and yet it's hardly sung at SMS now and we are in the same league. I reckon it's because we are doing so well and everyone is concentrating on the match and singing songs relevant to the game and players. Echoing what others have said, I regard Pompey as rivals not enemies. I just like to go to work with a smug look on my face.
Guys and Gals....I'm older than most posters on here, so can go back quite a way in the history of the two clubs. I was introduced to football at the age of, 5 at Fratton Park during Pompey's glory years in the 40's. Saints rarely played Pompey in those days us being a couple of leagues below them. I recall it was mainly friendlies in those days or charity matches. A group of about 12/15 of us kids used to meet up in the ground down the front in line with our various families. I recall there was 3 families of us from Southampton. Of those 12/15 kids 8 of us used to meet up the next week at the dell. After each game the parents used to go to the pub....usually with a garden or a covered outback for us kids. It was a regular weekly outing. This went on until well into the late 50's. It would have carried on then but sadly as we boys left school and started jobs it became more and more difficult over the years to meet up, add to that that parents and grandparents became less able to make the various journey's. However we boys did manage to stay in touch and managed to go to each others grounds now and again and yes still do!! Although sadly there is only 2 of us originals left now, 1 Saint 1 Pompey fan. (Yes I still go to Fratton now and then and no I don't sneak my saints colours in as I used to) Over those years the differences between the two clubs supporters have changed with each generation. This also coincides with Pompey's demise and re-rise and Saints rise and demise and re-rise. There has always been banter between the clubs and each club has had it's share of thugs that with the smell of the barmaids apron for courage, have wanted to get into a scrap. This includes the 40'sand 50's. Sadly the late 60's early 70's saw a heavy upsurge on the violence side and the banter changed to personal exchanges. This carried on until the big clampdown after such events as Hysel and others. It was interesting to see, as was highlighted on television, the age of the fans making most of the gestures as seen on TV, were mainly of that violent era!! Needless to say probably their offspring copy their parents example. In the return match in April at St Mary's you will see much the same no doubt from the same generation and down. However these are a minority of fans from both clubs! I am convinced the vast majority absolutely abhor violence. Good honest ribbing and banter yes, as there has always' been. Do we need all the sexual gestering and baying at the players on the pitch? Do you really think that adds anything to the atmosphere of the game? Do you really think it is a laugh? Mind you is it up to us to do anything about it other than just complain? Can we do anything about it maybe what I should be asking? Just a thought..........
Brilliant Beddy, well said. I have always been an idealist, and in an ideal world there is no place for hatred in football, or indeed in any sport. However, I think the sentence I have highlighted sums up one of the main reasons there is still violence associated with football, especially with derby matches. Children and young teenagers do learn behaviour from their parents and adult role models, so I suppose it is up to those older fans to modify their own behaviour in order to set a better example. Unfortunately, on the evidence of Sunday's game, there very little chance of that happening! We should, I suppose be grateful that at least the Pompey/Saints rivalry is confined to football matches, and not tied up with ancient historical religious/political bigotry like the Old Firm matches in Glasgow or between Hearts and Hibs in Edinburgh.
The whole things a bit sad really, I travel though Portsmouth every week on the train, I would never say I follow saints if I got chatting to someone on the train, just in case it turned out I was talking to one of the nutters, sad that we live so close but cant be proud of our teams 20 miles away
On an ordinary work day, even if the chap sat next to you was one of the nutters, I don't think you'd receive any more than a bit of friendly stick - and I think that cuts both ways. As mentioned in an earlier comment. It's a tribal thing that seems to change Dr Jekyl into Mr Hyde at the week-end. I've always found it strange as to why this sort of behaviour should blight football as opposed to Rugby Union or cricket, for example, where opposing fans will have drink together before, during and after the game. The fact that there have been so few Pompey/Saints derbies over the years, compared with a lot of other local rivals up and down the country, possibly thickens the red mist that descends over the two cities when they are played. It's a pity, in my opinion, that the acts of a small minority are not only allowed to overshadow the majority of well behaved fans at such meetings, but also inhibits any kind of genuine banter that is often exchanged between quite a number of home and away fans, over a few pints before and after some fixtures.
Devo, I think your right its both sides but i personally wouldnt take the chance anywhere near Portsmouth! I live in Brighton and one of my mates a Palace fan, he had a program in his pocket after a game in a Brighton pub, we had 8 Brighton old boys on us straight away, they got kicked out and then 10 younger lads turned up and waited out the pub for us!,I was only on a quick break from work! what Im getting at is that there is no logic to any of it, and you never know what the reaction is going to be!
A lot of rival teams live in the same city i.e. Liverpool/Everton, Man City/United and the London Clubs which must affect the rivalry. Madness is less likely if you mix regularly or are even related. That argument of course breaks down with Celtic and Rangers.
Hhhmmmmm - and yet not one post mentions the coins and glass whiskey bottle thrown at Stephen Henderson (how did someone get a glass bottle in the ground?) Oh yes, not to mention the 'flares' set off in the away end!
For gods sake ............ he was 4 years old! I don't think it was his decision. You do come out with some strange things when the old red mist decends Godders
love the fact that we get three pages of abuse for shouting at your players and yet the fact that henderson had to endure whiskey bottles coins and christ knows what else being thrown at him throughout the second half goes unmentioned. ****s
There are two threads on here which show clearly the 'dislike' Saints fans have for Pompey - but on the Pompey board there is no equivalent thread. There is one thread which went from 'spanking the scummers' through to 'band camp' and on to 'Her Maj's Thunder-Bucket' - seemed to be enjoyed by the visiting Saints fans and Pompey fans together, but no thread filled with vile comments aimed at our neighbours. Says it all really.
Excuse me, pal. Can you read? Second Stain, Godders, Beddytare and yours truly are a few of the posters who are willing to accept that we both have nutters and it is quite frankly f***ing sad. I am unaware of missiles being thrown at a Pompey player. If it is true we would condemn it. As they say in Liverpool - no need,mate.
