When ‘different class’ Blues fans showed rivalry matters
It was a central storyline in the defining moment of this season’s Premier League title race.
And it stirs echoes of one of the most memorable afternoons in Pompey’s topflight history, on the latest anniversary of a day two fanbases united in a common goal.
Tottenham fans angered their boss Ange Postecoglou after they backed opponents Manchester City on Tuesday, as they moved to the brink of winning their fourth successive Premier League crown.
City’s 2-0 success in north London dealt a huge setback to fierce rivals Arsenal's chances of ending the supremacy of Pep Guardiola’s men.
Nineteen years ago this week, a similar plot-line was being followed at the other end of the table which was to go down in folklore at two clubs.
The date: May 15, 2005. The venue: The Hawthorns. The event: West Brom’s Great Escape – as Pompey helped condemn deadly rivals Southampton.
It was, of course, Harry Redknapp’s defection up the M27 which had poured petrol on one of the fiercest rivalries in English football in the 2004-05 campaign.
Southampton gave themselves hope with a 4-3 win against Norwich going into a finalday clash with Manchester United, but they also needed Pompey to pick up a result at West Brom.
The sentiment from the 3,000 travelling Blues fans was clear, as the nerves jangled amid the home support in the first half.
‘Let them score’ and ‘play up Baggies’ rang out from the away end, as West Brom stuttered in edgy fashion.
The party atmosphere from the away end calmed the mood, however, before Geoff Horsfield’s 58thminute opener in the eventual 2-0 win – and the surreal sight of all four sides of the ground exploding in celebration.
With Southampton losing to United, they were down.
Baggies boss Bryan
Robson acknowledged the importance of the Pompey fans in getting his team over the line. He said: ‘They were different class. The hush in the stadium brought a nervousness to the players. When the Portsmouth fans sang it got our support going too.’