Pompey expert reveals truth behind Southampton '˜scummers' insult

A Portsmouth club expert has said that claims the '˜scummers' insult used against Southampton supporters originates from the dockyard are '˜urban myth'.Â
Portsmouth fans in Fratton End at Fratton Park. Picture: Steve ReidPortsmouth fans in Fratton End at Fratton Park. Picture: Steve Reid
Portsmouth fans in Fratton End at Fratton Park. Picture: Steve Reid

Colin Farmery, author of 17 Miles From Paradise, has been discussing the origins of '˜scummers' after a judge explained the term to a jury yesterday (October 17). 

Judge Timothy Mousley QC gave the lecture on the footballing insult following the trial of Portsmouth fan Peter Hawkins. 

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Hawkins, 48, was found guilty of violent disorder for his part in deplorable scenes following his side's 2-1 loss to Oldham last September. 

Portsmouth fans in Fratton End at Fratton Park. Picture: Steve ReidPortsmouth fans in Fratton End at Fratton Park. Picture: Steve Reid
Portsmouth fans in Fratton End at Fratton Park. Picture: Steve Reid
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The moment a judge explained to a jury why Pompey fans call Southampton support...

Judge Mousely said: '˜The origin of the word scum or scummer is something of a mystery.

'˜Initially it was thought to have arose in the 1890s following a dispute at the dockyard.

'˜It was thought dockers in Portsmouth were holding a strike at the dockyard which was then broken by dockers from Southampton.' 

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However Mr Farmery called claims that 'scummers' came from broken strikes as an '˜urban myth'. 

He explained said: '˜There is no documentation evidence of the origins (of scummers) particularly. 

'˜I think the most likely explanation is that it was a term invented in the 60s or 70s as a term for Southampton supporters and people from the city in general and it caught on. 

'˜There is no evidence that it originates from dockyards and shipping. It very much seems to be an urban myth. 

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'˜The story that dockers were coming down from Southampton to Portsmouth to break strikes is very unlikely. 

'˜Dockers in Southampton were some of the most militant in the country.' 

Discussing the rivalry with Southampton as a whole, Mr Farmery said: '˜Portsmouth and Southampton have been rival cities and that went to back more than a hundred years. 

'Southampton was a commercial port and Portsmouth was a naval port. 

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'˜But the more harsh side of the rivalry evolved in the 1960s.

'˜We actually have Pompey today because of Southampton. They saw that Southampton had a successful professional club in the 19th Century and decided that they wanted a piece of that.'