Pompey star calls on fans to Pack the Park for Hull City match
GET INVOLVED Stephen Henderson, David Norris and Jamie Ashdown, holding the Pack the Park poster. Picture: Sarah Standing (120385-9657)
POMPEY star Stephen Henderson has issued a resounding message to fans: Pack the Park tomorrow.
The talented goalkeeper, who drew admiration from fans this week by pledging his intentions to stay at the club, is calling on fans to be Pompey’s 12th Man by attending tomorrow’s fixture against Hull City.
‘The club needs everyone’s help at the moment so it would be fantastic if we could pack Fratton Park on Saturday against Hull,’ the 23-year-old said.
‘Your support makes all the difference and together we can all pull through this and come out stronger the other side.’
The News has joined forces with Pompey and the Pompey Supporters’ Trust to call on fans to Pack the Park and fill the ground to capacity.
Fans will be hoping for a repeat of breathtaking scenes from a night that has gone down in legend.
Although just 8,000 fans were at Fratton Park 14 years ago for the match against Stockport County, they broke into a continuous rendition of ‘Alan Ball’s Blue and White Army’ and roared their team on for a crucial 1-0 win.
It was this victory that spurred Pompey onto a winning run to avoid relegation from Division One.
Pompey fan Mark Mudie was in the South Stand for the match.
He said: ‘It was one of those really special nights when you know you are part of something that is going to change things.
‘On Saturday we might be starting to see a resurgence of that.
‘I think there’s going to be a massive turnout.
‘We have got our squad together and the fans can work as a unit with the club and pack the park to be the 12th man.’
Scott Mclachlan, spokesman for the Pompey Supporters’ Trust, watched the stunning night from the Fratton end.
He said: ‘At some point in the game exasperation gets the better of you and you just start singing and shouting.
‘We were singing for a good hour during the match. It just seemed to carry the team on to win.
‘If there’s one example that the fans can make a difference and drag the team to a result it was that.’
Bob Beech, of SOS Pompey, said: ‘They were great times. People can try and replicate it but it wasn’t contrived or planned. It was a spontaneous thing.’
BOSS IS ONSIDE
POMPEY boss Michael Appleton put his weight behind the club’s fight for survival by signing up to the 12th Man campaign.
His backing comes as The News today displayed hundreds of posters featuring his image at newsagents and other sales points across the area.
The poster – already published in the newspaper and which can be downloaded at portsmouth.co.uk – shows the manager in the classic Lord Kitchener pose.
He said: ‘I’m delighted to join such a fantastic initiative by the fans.
‘It’s important we all get behind this and show our support for a great football club.
‘There’s an opportunity for everybody to get behind the boys and pack out Fratton Park for the next few home games, especially this week against Hull City.’
Mark Acheson, deputy editor of The News, said: ‘Our billboards across the area are a really powerful means of spreading a message.
‘Today we can think of nothing better than stepping up our support for the fans’ campaign by using those boards to promote Pack the Park.’
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Weather for Portsmouth
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 24 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South
Comments
There are 31 comments to this article
Page 1 of 3
Lyceen
Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 01:39 PMSaints fan in peace. Firstly, I hope you pull through this trouble, I for one like the rivalry and game will be a lot less interesting without it, so good luck. Sorry to see that the game has been cancelled. Would have been interesting to have seen how many you would have got at Fratton Park. I was reading some of the other posts on here and decided to count up the attendance you have had for the home games this season so far. Across 13 games you have had 188,932 people in attendance, so an average of 14,533 per game. Which is a drop from 15,751 for last season. The reason I point this out is that I read someone saying that a cold saturday in February should be about 16,000 people in attendance. I think you may actually have beaten that for the Hull game due to the recent marketing and people trying to support and make a difference, but without that I think you would have got around 14,000 at most for Hull. Anyway, good luck.
MTH
Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 09:55 AMTo all the saints that came on here over the last few days and wished us well a big thank you.You put the minority like ronster and skatehater to shame, they must come from a very poor and uneducated background and they need our pity and understanding in their troubled and sad existence bless them .........PUP
Pompey.ben
Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 09:30 AMWhat does make me chuckle is that people are very prepared to go out every weekend and get drunk for no apparent reason, some of which are the very same people that preach on here that it isn't 'affordable' to go to fratton park. I would rather stay in for 1 weekend in four, save the £60 I would spend down the pub and buy a ticket. If they can't afford £25 a month, to just go to 1 game in 2, they got serious issues.
ronster
Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 09:22 AMFP will make a good Tescos,big fish counter for the skates!
paul-philippines
Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 05:22 AMPACK THE PARK to watch a 2-0 Pompey win. PTP. PUP.PTP.
vuvusailor
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 11:56 PMi think u being too pessimistic if weathers ok i,m sure it be packed out u can buy tickets tomorrow with any added cost once game on confirmed they will be sold
SKATEHATER
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 09:38 PMBYE BYE!!!! Step aside navy off breeds.
one Kevin Dillon
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 06:56 PMSorry the weather is a factor, I can only make games on a Saturday because of work and travel. I need to know the game is on before my son and I can get our tickets. If its on we will be there tomorrow.
pompeylil
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 06:37 PMPleeeeeeeeeeeeeease let the game be on tomorrow, I am soooo looking forward to it. I am sure the atmosphere is going to be fantastic & WE WILL WIN!!!!!!!! PUP COME ON YOU BLUUUUUEES!
LI 125
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 06:33 PM@8 Plymouth Graham. There will be a pich inspection at 10am tomorrow morning. IMHO the game is at best 50-50, lots of games being called off in the south. You can leave a mobile number on here if you wish and I will let you know at the earliest opportunity if it is off. PUP
eastneyboy
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 06:31 PMYou're absolutely right there, mate - but also many thousands were only "fair weather" fans. That's always been the case at Pompey. In days gone by we could get an average of 15000 at league games and then 30000 plus for a cup game.....Imagine if we could convert those stay-away fans in to regulars....! But, I guess that's true for other clubs as well. It is difficult times and we have had a succession of duff owners - hoping we can get a decent one this time? Though, right now, I'd settle for any owner!
Bob Fraser
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 06:29 PMYES there is still hope to SAVE POMPEY WE dont give up that easy .Fratton Park .Weather or no weather will be packed out with our game against Hull City on Saturday. And I forcast a BIG win for POMPEY.............PUP.
bluelagoon
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 06:12 PM15 - "All the cloak and dagger stuff that, lets face it, we know nothing about..." -- I'm afraid we know much too much about it. We have been witness to scandal after scandal and disaster after disaster and PFC is still in the same hands. That is what puts so many fans off. Seven or eight years of all this have caused many hundreds maybe thousands to walk away. They cared too much about Pompey to want to put their money into this "business" enterprise that has only damaged our club. I hope everyone will respect that point of view as equally true Pompey.
waterloovilleblue
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 05:28 PMre post 12 , 200,000 people going to look at the team parading the fa cup on a warm sunny day(and not having to pay £30..) Just look at our attendances over the last 3 years 16k is what I would expect on a freezing cold feb saturday . People need to realize that there is just not the money available any more to spend on leisure . 20 years ago (bla bla) there was lots more people in our city that could afford to go , I had navy mates that would always go , you would always see lots of postmen, and dock workers , wake up and smell the bacon 16-18k will now be a good crowd unless we get back in the premier and then have to contend with premiership fans and not Pompey fans ......
eastneyboy
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 05:23 PMTime for the real fans to show their support for the club - I think there will be a good gate - all things considered. Very few seats left in Fratton End now.... -------- You'll never persuade the absentee fans - they know who they are - and as posters have said weather is not an important factor in deciding to go or not. That said, people like Plymouth Graham are really great to make the journey in mid winter. Good luck to them and a safe journey here and back! ----- I have a feeling it's going to be an epic day for the club, players and fans - one to savour and look back on - and hopefully will turn to be a major turning point in the relationship between fans and players. We are together now as never before......and we have a really good manager who appreciates the fans more than any previous manager has done! PUP! Here's hoping for some kindness from the weatherman!!
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