Ex-Portsmouth owner Milan Mandaric: I sent Southampton's chairman a dead duck for Christmas - and he reported me to the Premier League

And the 84-year-old still chuckles at memories of animosity between the south-coast boardrooms which mirrored traditional rivalry shared by Pompey and Southampton supporters.

It was in December 2005 when, irritated by Southampton chairman Lowe’s unavailability during negotiations to bring Redknapp back to Fratton Park, the Serb decided to get his own back.

Pompey’s chairman subsequently sent his St Mary’s counterpart a dead duck as a Christmas present, with its feathers still attached and not frozen.

It was a tongue-in-cheek reference to Lowe’s avoidance in taking Mandaric’s calls due to duck hunting commitments.

And the gift was not particularly appreciated.

Mandaric told The News: ‘Every time I called Rupert Lowe, he said he was duck hunting.

‘So I told the guys to get a dead duck and put it somewhere where it can smell badly.

‘It still had its feathers on, rotting, smelling horrible. Then I sent it to him saying “To my duck hunter, a present for Christmas”.

‘He wasn’t happy – so I told him to just eat the duck, you don’t have to hunt anymore. When I call you, you’ll now be there – and you get a duck for free.

‘There was some complaint from him to the Premier League, but they ignored that, they didn’t want to be bothered by it.

‘I didn’t like the guy, we didn’t get along at all, but you have to make life as interesting as possible!’

Redknapp did, of course, come back to Fratton Park for a second spell in December 2005.

Despite walking out on Southampton, who were placed 12th in the Championship at the time, Pompey still had to reach agreement on a compensation package with Lowe.

With Redknapp now back at the helm, he oversaw the Blues’ remarkable Great Escape as they remained in the Premier League.

Meanwhile, with George Burley replacing him at St Mary’s, Southampton finished 12th in that 2005-06 campaign.

Mandaric added: ‘He (Lowe) didn’t send me a present back, but he did give me Harry Redknapp.

‘I had to ask his permission for Harry – and we got it.’

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