PORTSMOUTH v PETERBOROUGH NPower Championship, 27 September 2011 at Fratton Park Link to BBC Sport Prieview: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_1/14982440.stm Last season: N/A Last League meeting at Fratton Park 22 January 1994, Div 1 [Championship] Portsmouth 0-2 Peterborough Who are Ya? (some of this info is from wikipedia) The Posh were formed in 1934 as a phoenix club [to use today’s expression] of Peterborough & Fletton Utd, who folded two years earlier. In 1960, having won the Midland league for the fifth season in a row, they were elected into the Football League, at the expense of Gateshead. They continued their winning ways, taking the Fourth Division title at the first attempt. In 1968 they were deducted 19 points for financial irregularities (a massive blow as it was only 2 pts for a win in those days). This saw them finish bottom of the Third Division. Without the deduction they would have been 10th! They eventually broke out of the bottom two divisions in 1992 when they won the Third Division [League One] playoffs. They have always found themselves punching above their weight at the higher level though, with this being only their fourth season in the second tier; a level at which they’ve only once managed to avoid relegation. Highest League Finish: 10th Div 1 [Championship] 1993 Lowest League Finish: 19th Fourth Division [League Two] 1973 Honours 3rd Tier [League One] Runners up 2009, Playoff Winners 1992, 2011 4th Tier [League Two] Champions 1961, 1974, Runners up 2008, Playoff Winners 2000 Midland League Champions 1940, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960 Yesteryear 26 April 1980, Fourth Division [League Two] Portsmouth 4-0 Peterborough Going into this, their penultimate game of the season, in 5th, a point below Newport, who had a game in hand and two points behind Bradford, Pompey had to win to keep any mathematical chance of promotion alive. 3 May 1980 Peterborough 1-0 Bradford City This final day result, coupled with Pompey’s 0-2 win at Northampton saw the Paraders drop from 3rd to 5th and allowed Pompey to clinch the 4th promotion spot [no playoffs in those days] on goal difference. Peterborough League finish: 5 years ago (2006-07): 10th League Two 10 years ago (2001-02): 17th Div 2 [League One] 15 years ago (1996-97): 21st Div 2 [League One] (Relegated) 20 years ago (1991-92): 6th Third Division [League One] (Playoff Winners) 25 years ago (1986-87): 10th Fourth Division [League Two] Random Fact: In their last season as a non-league club, Peterborough reached Round Four of the FA Cup, playing opposition from all four divisions. They knocked out Third Division Shrewsbury, Fourth Division Walsall and Second Division Ipswich before going down 2-0 to First Division Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough. Current odds (Sunday Morning) From SkyBet POMPEY: 6/5 POSH: 19/10 DRAW: 23/10
I predict it will be played under floodlights and that Pompey will play in their traditional home strip of royal blue shirts, white shorts and red socks and Peterborough United in their all-black away strip. I also predict that I shall enjoy a pint or two of ale before the match and that I shall sit in the North Stand lower.
I always predict a win so 1-0 or 2-1 Pompey! Or a draw 0-0 1-1 - can't see a goalfest tomorrow. Can't see Benji scoring until he gets some proper service, not just flick ons. Am also going to play Bobby Darren, Mack the Knife and Beyond the Sea - just in case!
