Gosport mix-up confuses Portsmouth return to cup competition after 119-year absence

The Blues Academy’s desire to give their talented youngsters more minutes against men’s sides has prompted a return to the well-established competition.

Pompey have previously won the Portsmouth Senior Cup four times, most recently over Gosport Athletic in 1904.

Club historians believe they haven’t entered since, certainly in terms of the first-team.

Now back involved for the 2023-24 season, having been handed a bye, Sam Hudson’s side were drawn against United Services in the second round, with the fixture to take place at the PMC Stadium.

However, days later a redraw took place after it was discovered Gosport Borough hadn’t been included in the competition.

An email mix-up meant Borough had not officially registered their participation in this year’s Portsmouth Senior Cup, attracting a £50 exemption fine.

Following an appeal from secretary Craig Stainton to the Portsmouth FA, the Southern League Premier South club were included in the competition.

As a consequence, the redraw instead paired Pompey with a trip to Baffins Milton Rovers in the week commencing October 30.

And 2022 winners Gosport will now entertain AFC Portchester on November 22.

Stainton told The News: ‘Without fail, every year we enter the Portsmouth Senior Cup and support the competition, but this year we weren't in the draw.

‘I had never received an email about it, so contacted the Portsmouth FA to find out why we hadn’t been asked to fill in an entry form.

‘Apparently it must have gone into my junk folder and been deleted after so many days - but, for whatever reason, we didn’t get the email.

‘I have never come across this before but, the Portsmouth FA had a committee meeting the following Thursday and realised the error, so had a redraw four or five days later.

‘It’s a really good local competition which Gosport Borough believe in, so we’re glad to be involved again this season.’

Horndean are the current holders of the Portsmouth Senior Cup after defeating Fareham Town 5-3 on penalties at Fratton Park last season, following a 1-1 draw.

Portsmouth FA general secretary Jason Brooker told The News: ‘An email was sent to all clubs at the end of July to enter, but it seems Gosport Borough never received the email.

‘As a senior club under the cup rules if a senior club does not enter the Senior Cup then they are required to pay an exemption fee, the exemption fee invoice was sent to Gosport early September and this is when they mentioned they never received the email to enter back in July.

‘The PDFA held a cup committee meeting on 14th September 2023 and it was fully agreed by all members that we redraw the Senior Cup to include Gosport as it was a technical issue with emails and not an individual issue.’