Bone Idle Gossip: A certain 4-1 win, cup joy... and Santa

The long road is at an end and we know what your favourite Pompey game is.
Pompey's 4-1 success was the favourite for fansPompey's 4-1 success was the favourite for fans
Pompey's 4-1 success was the favourite for fans

Well, we know what it is if you can’t name any Wembley game, promotion, title or relegation-escape clincher, or the AC Milan game.

My unofficial reader poll ended with a certain 4-1 win over a certain lot from up the road being voted the clear winner.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

I shouldn’t think anyone who was at Fratton Park at Sunday lunchtime on April 24, 2005, will ever forget those first 26 minutes. (Actually, my mistake, a couple of thousand who were at one end of the ground seem to have forgotten it years ago...).

I was lucky enough to be writing the match report for The News that day and I began it with something like: “Pompey 4 Southampton 1. Say it. Then say it again.” Not that I was milking the moment or anything.

I think the fact it was an absolute mullering AND meant so much more set it apart – remember, it pretty much made us safe in the Premier League and set the other lot on course towards relegation.

What a day.

Second spot in the ‘fave Blues game’ vote went to the FA Cup quarter-final win at Man Utd in 2008 – probably Pompey’s best individual result of the modern era.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Third spot went to a game more than 20 years older than either of the top two and can be summed up in a three-word title: The Santa Game. You know the one – Oxford 1-0 up, Santa invades pitch, Alan Biley invades the penalty area twice to make it 2-1 win. Glorious stuff.

Thanks to everyone who voted – a full list of all games mentioned is being worked on, almost as we speak.