Portsmouth chief Mark Catlin: Classy Sunderland fans bought us celebratory drinks

Mark Catlin has revealed how Sunderland fans gatecrashed Pompey victory celebrations.
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And their supporters insisted on buying congratulatory drinks for those associated with the Checkatrade Trophy winners.

The classy gesture occurred at the Hilton Hotel in Wembley on Sunday night following Pompey’s victory on penalties.

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Management, players and staff joined their families in toasting the triumph back at the hotel at which they were based.

Pompey chief executive Mark Catlin Picture: Joe PeplerPompey chief executive Mark Catlin Picture: Joe Pepler
Pompey chief executive Mark Catlin Picture: Joe Pepler

And Pompey’s chief executive praised the graciousness shown by Sunderland and their supporters following the match’s dramatic conclusion.

Catlin said: ‘I thought the Sunderland fans were great.

‘Walking around Wembley on the Saturday, mixing and mingling with them, they were fantastic.

‘Some of their fans gatecrashed our little get together on Sunday night. When players started to drift out, they came over and joined us.

Sunderland fans at Wembley Picture: Frank ReidSunderland fans at Wembley Picture: Frank Reid
Sunderland fans at Wembley Picture: Frank Reid
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‘It was absolutely brilliant, they kept wanting to buy us drinks, congratulating us. What a lovely gesture that was.

‘The same goes for those in charge of the club and Jack Ross and his backroom staff, fantastic people.

‘Sunderland is a really, really great club from top to bottom.

‘To a degree, I think that made the victory that much more special, they are one of the big clubs in the country.

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‘And, inside Wembley, it was a great achievement to beat them.’

A record EFL Trophy crowd of 85,021 were present at Wembley for Sunday’s occasion.

Both sets of fans created a memorable atmosphere for an enthralling match.

And Catlin paid tribute to those responsible.

He added: ‘For large parts of the second half we were losing – and you wouldn’t expect the losing team’s support to be as loud as the winning team during the game.

‘Yet our fans were amazing, they kept on going throughout.

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‘Credit where it’s due, though, Sunderland are right up there as one of the most passionate sets of fans in the country.

‘So to go head-to-head with them in regards of the singing and the passion was no mean feat.

‘This wasn’t a club with a load of plastic fans, this was a real, proper football club – like Portsmouth.

‘We let them take Trafalgar Square, but we took Wembley.’

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