I'm sure they'll have plans but being an evening game makes it much more difficult for them imo with fans of both clubs coming from all over the place on public transport with heavy commuter traffic too. I just don't see how the old bill have basically gone from: "We don't want to use the bubble but history shows that whenever these sides meet there's always confrontation" To... "Yeah it's nothing to worry about, just don't wear your Saints shirt or sing Saints songs n you'll be sound". In about 7 years, or two meetings. I still think they're hoping for mini skirmishes which they'll film before stepping in. Makes both clubs policing easier for a couple of years I suppose.
Yeah, that’s sort of what I expect really, that they’ll react quickly to outbreaks of violence when they occur. I expect the area around the ground, and the journey from there to Fratton Station, to be heavily policed. I won’t be wearing a Saints shirt or scarf
Yeah I don't think it'll be too bad on the way in unless you're on one of the 'special' trains. Afterwards might be a different matter though depending on how the game goes. Really think there will loads of little ****s who haven't even been to the game roaming the streets afterwards.
Last time I went down there a brick landed right next to a10 year old fan. I won't even say what team he was supporting because neither answer would shock you. This was in the short journey from the train station. I've got such a horrible feeling in my stomach about this one that someone is going to end up seriously injured. My days of this are numbered
I don't want anything to happen that reflects badly on Saints either....faint hope, but better if no one drinks...then fans are less likely to behave out of character.
there will be blood I am suprised the Police are allowing fans to travel independnetly. Is this a cost saving thing? Pompey are languishing in league one saints going well in the premier league evening kick off at fratton park which is a harder site to police not played for 7 years saints will probably win the hatred is bad anway but this is a perfect storm brewing the only time i went to fratton park for a saints game was for alan knights testimonial about 25 years ago - i think saints won anout 5-1 and that was scary coming out the ground. i was about 16 and wearing a saints shirt . I remember afer we were finaly allowed to leave the stadium people jumping out from various side strees and attacking the saints fans from all angles. I ended up actually hiding until i found a phone box and called my dad who drove from bognor regis to pick me up from some agreed back street - he was a good navigator. There were cars being set on fire. It was a friendly!
A lot of the violence is over hyped these days, thankfully it is very rare any innocents actually get hurt. You'd imagine the city will be full of police and all obvious routes to and from stadium will be covered.
20 arrests max, mostly for public order. There will be a few dickheads on both sides who will be up for it but that'll be about it. The rest will be all mouth. 1-3 saints.
If we lose like that to Bournemouth at home , their first win..... We will get mullered on Tuesday IMHO.