http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/16183393.stm Couldn't agree more with what he says in this interview. Apart from Pompey beating Saints of course. ha! Hoping for a good game and as its been said form goes out the window in these sort of games.
Completely agree, some people forget it's just a game of football and not two rival tribes going to battle. Hoping for a calm game, and hopefully Sa1nts' fans wont be stuck on those ****ing coaches too long; who else are we meant to goad over?
Having a rivalry and wanting to beat the closest team to yours is healthy, as it means banter and bragging rights. Shame a few spoil it for the rest by having to fight. Sunday will be no different.
I echo all the above, why oh why can we not have the good old fashioned banter as we used to years ago. You didn't have home or away pubs as such, if you wanted a pint you went in and got one. True you would have your leg pulled unmercifully but it was just good humour. Exchanging visits was quite common in those days because it was considered a family day out. True you wouldn't do that these day's for one thing it would cost dam near half a weeks wages.
I completely agree but there are some pathetic excuses for "fans" that use these occassions as an excuse for violence. The police seem to have taken every possible precaution and the Saints fans will obviously be kept in Fratton Park for a while after the match but its very difficult, if not impossible to go through these matches without a sniff of violence.
Totally agree with the Mr Jenkins. A 92 year old with a wise old head on his shoulders. Even as recently as the 1970's, the rivalry wasn't anywhere near as hatred filled as it is now. I think one or two moments have upped the anger, such as coin throwing at Mark Dennis, and a couple of other incidences, but mainly it's idiots who can think of nothing better than inciting violence. To me, they are not Saints or Pompey supporters, and I want nothing to do with them.
It's not just a Southampton v Portsmouth thing, but across football and especially in Derby matches between two teams from different towns/cities. Football and in a lot of ways society has still not recovered from the Hooligan era of the 80s and fairly recent films like Football Factory & Green Street etc have only glamourised it. It's sad that our individual freedoms have been taken away on Sunday when we go to the game via police escort because of the actions of a minority
Very heartening to read the common sense entries on this subject. Some people totally lose any sense of proportion. Good luck to whoever wins, and to the losers there is always another day. Lick your wounds & move one - and we,ll all still be around on the Monday!
We all have banter at work and socially and probably would never have a punch up with any of these people. Most (not all) people who cause trouble at football matches are looking for it. Drink has a lot to do with that. In real life, one group of fans will be bragging on Monday. The difference is that if it's Pompey, we'll still be top and they are unlikely to make the play offs. So we should practice either the sympathetic look (don't worry too much, you'll probably be alright) or the resigned but smug look (yes, but we're still top/in auto position).
This is still the case in Rugby Union (don't know about Rugby League). Having a drink with the opposition fans before and after the game, has always been a tradition in Rugby. And before anyone says football is a working class game, well rugby is followed by more people in the West of England and in Wales than football, and is also regarded as a working class game. It's always amazed me why some fans of just about every football club see games like the one on Sunday as an opportunity for a punch-up, rather than a chance to watch a fiercely fought game between historic rivals on the pitch. If you want to fight, join the army. Otherwise behave yourself and enjoy the game!
As a nipper I was told that the term `scum` and `scummer`have been used for 100s of years but the other way round. When Southampton had a lot French traders (1500-1600`s) living here they used to call Portsmouth waters `scum`, this was because Southampton water have the 2 chalk fed rivers (Itchen and Test) and stayed clean but Pompey being a natural harbour the water always looked filthy. In the 1930`s a national newspaper tried to explain the rivalery term `scum` and got it all wrong (it was the Mirror so no suprise at all). When the Southampton dockers crossed the picket line why did they not get called `scabs` by the Portsmouth strikers, the answer is they was a term already to use that linked in the history of both Towns docks.
Fascinating. Can you please tell us the dates and the details of this industrial dispute because I have trawled through the archives and local newspapers and can find no reference to such a strike. If you cannot provide the details then I will assume you are perpetuating the myth put around by our sensitive neighbours besmirching the good name of the honest workmen of our proud city of Southampton. Thanks.
Interestingly, when I googled Portsmouth dockers strike, the thing that came up was a strike by Southampton dockers in 1890 which was broken by Portsmouth workers and a militia.
did a quick search http://filestore.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pdfs/small/cab23-65-c69-30-4.pdf or http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/cabinetpapers/alevelstudies/1930-cabinet-conclusion-strikers.htm although there is no mention that it was the Southampton Dockers that broke the strike The real problem is history usually is recorded by people with a point to make, so you can probably find any proof you need on the internet. I will keep digging. Godders, being a man of a certain age, do you remember the term `scummers` being used by both sets of supports?
Yes I echo those thoughts Fran. Back in my school days I had to do an essay on local strikes. (Yes it was a punishment essay) My understanding from memory was that Portsmouth sent out lighters (small craft) to the Banana boats and food ships of various sorts as they did not have docks capable of off loading such cargo. (They were of course mainly a naval port in those days.) There fore breaking the strike however the port maintained at the time it did not cross the picket lines of the Southampton Dockers. Around 1954 ish there was another strike at Southampton docks. It was thought that Pompey might do the same again however it was pointed out that Pompey and Saints dockers were part of the same union by then, which made that impossible. So the government sent the troops in instead.
