Next we head south, way on down south, as low as you can go - Portsmouth. This may come as no surprise to anyone but the city derives it's name from the Old English Anglo-Saxon name, "Portesmuða", which in itself is derived from port (a haven) and muða (the mouth of a large river or estuary). Less well known though is that in the Anglo Saxon Chronicle, a warrior named Port and his two sons killed a noble Briton in Portsmouth in 501. And even less known, Winston Churchil in A History of the English Speaking Peoples wrote that Port was a pirate who founded Portsmouth in 501.
Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island off the south coast of England in the Solent making Portsmouth the only city in England not located primarily on the mainland. The city is home to the first drydock ever built. It was constructed by Henry VII in 1496. That dock no longer exists but Portsmouth is still the home of the world's oldest dry dock "The Great Stone Dock"; originally built in 1698, rebuilt in 1769 and presently known as "No.5 Dock". Number 5" refers to its sequential order in the series of dry docks at the naval base. By the early-19th century, Portsmouth was the most heavily fortified city in the world. During WW2, the city was a pivotal embarkation point for the D-Day landings and was bombed extensively in the Portsmouth Blitz. It was also the departure point for the Falklands fleet in 1982. "Seven Tears" by the Goombay Dance Band occupied the top spot in the charts that week.
Portsmouth FC were formed on 5 April 1898, at 12 High Street, Old Portsmouth as "The Portsmouth Football and Athletic Company". Work started the following year on their new ground, Fratton Park after the nearby and convenient Fratton Railway Station. Portsmouth began their early history in the Southern and Western leagues, before being elected into the English Football League and newly formed Third Division in 1920.
They achieved success as league champions in 1948–49 and 1949–50; FA Cups in 1938–39, 2007–08; EFL Cup 2018–19; and the much valued Hampshire Senior Cup 1902–03, 1912–13, 1951–52, 1986–87. Portsmouth are one of only five English football clubs to have been champions of all four tiers of the professional English football.
Portsmouth are nicknamed Pompey, a local nickname used by both His Majesty's Naval Base, Portsmouth and the city of Portsmouth. The origins of the nickname are unknown. One theory is that "Pompey" is derived from the name of the famous Roman General Pompey the Great, reknowned for his military victories at sea, including defeating pirates and King Mithridates. Another theory is that "Pompey" is simply a shortened or altered version of "Portsmouth," evolving over time through local dialects. This is a common phenomenon in language where longer names are shortened for ease of speech.
Portsmouth fans sing the "Pompey Chimes", originally known as the 'Town Hall Chimes' during matches. The song is synonymous with the club and is regarded as one of the oldest football chants still in use today. The unique rhythm of the chant is designed to imitate the sound of the bells of Portsmouth’s Anglican Cathedral, which are heard across the city. We can't be certain of the original wording but records suggest the following were in use as early as 1900-01 - Play up Pompey,Just one more goal! Make tracks! What ho!Hallo! Hallo!!
Portsmouth's mascot really is Billy the Fish, or to be more accurate Billy the Piranha. The piranha is a nod to Portsmouth’s local history and maritime heritage, unlike the character in Viz magazine. Southampton fans call Portsmouth supporters “skates”, a reference to presumably apocryphal tales of Royal Navy sailors relieving their sexual frustrations using fish.
Celebrity fans include
Will Ferrell
Cricketer, Anya Shrubsole MBE
Fred Dinenage
Penny Mordaunt
Mason Mount
Ian Darke - whoever he is
The Sea God, Neptune
Pompey the Great
The Ace fighter pilots of RAF Tangmere
Head to head, there's not much between the two clubs. Leeds have won 23, drawn 18 and lost 18. The last meeting was the season opener which ended in a 3:3 draw. Our current run is WWWWD, whereas Pompeys is LWWWL. We are top and they are 17th. Portsmouth are suffering a bit of an injury crisis. Top scorer, Callum Lang is out, so are most of their CBs including Hayden Matthews, Rob Atkinson, super Conor O'Shaughnessy and Ibane Bowat. Full Back Jacob Farrell is out. Winger Paddy Lane is out. It's more a question of who plays - Andre Dozzell is a decent midfielder but with those injuries, I can't see Portmouth surviving our barrage of attackers. 3-1 to Leeds.
Anyone up for a skate supper?
Just out of curiosity, anyone know why ITV have picked up this game?