The Chase’s Bradley Walsh has say on Portsmouth v Plymouth’s ‘Dockyard Derby’

The Chase presenter Bradley Walsh had added his voice to those pouring scorn on usage of the term ‘Dockyard Derby’.
Bradley Walsh (left) and Pompey's Ronan CurtisBradley Walsh (left) and Pompey's Ronan Curtis
Bradley Walsh (left) and Pompey's Ronan Curtis

The popular TV show last night featured a question using the phrase to describe games with Plymouth, which is unpopular with many Pompey fans.

Walsh cut a bemused figure when the Pilgrims were revealed as the correct answer of the three options, with Torquay and Brighton the alternatives.

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In an exchange with chaser Anne Hegerty, Walsh says: ‘Well, I’ve never heard of that.

‘Dockyards?’ replies a contestant.

‘The closest dockyard to Portsmouth is Southampton by a country mile, replies Walsh. ‘Plymouth Argyle? It’s in a different county for kick-off.’

‘As (contestant) Richard points out, it’s about dockyards.’ Hegerty chimes in.

‘Southampton!’ exclaims Walsh.

‘Southampton might have confused things if it had been up there (as an option to guess),’ Hegerty then says. ‘Before it came up I most likely thought it would be Plymouth.’

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‘When you play in a derby it’s meant to be very, very close together,’ a perplexed Walsh then adds, echoing the view over many Pompey fans over the 137-mile distance between the two cities.

‘It’s a kind of a derby. That’s why they call it dockyard derby,’ finishes Hegerty.

It proved an exchange which will have resonance with Pompey fans.

And, with the next clash with Plymouth at Home Park a little over two weeks away, we can, of course, expect the modern-coined moniker for the meeting between the two port clubs to resurface once again.