Pompey on Boxing Day: rookie goalkeepers and flooded toilets

How today should have looked at Fratton Park / Picture: Getty

All we can do, I guess, is hope we’re not in tier three (or four) for long and the next return of supporters isn’t far away.

While we follow this year’s festive fixtures from afar, there are plenty of fond – and not so fond – Blues Boxing Day games from the past to relive.

I asked last week for your favourite and least favourite Pompey clashes of December 26 and you have come up trumps.

Simon Kidd of Copnor highlights three games. ‘Best Boxing Day, 1983 – Pompey 4 Charlton Athletic 0 – Pompey fans chanting ‘thank you very much for the three points Tony’ at rookie goalkeeper Tony Lange as his errors swept us to an emphatic victory.

‘Worst Boxing Day, 2012 – Pompey 1 Crawley Town 2 – how the mighty had fallen – five years before this encounter, Pompey were entertaining Arsenal!

‘And ‘The One That Got Away’, 1975 – Charlton Athletic 1 Pompey 3 – my best mate and his brother made a snap decision to drive to the game – and didn’t tell me!’

Richard Brook agreed with my own selection for the best one. Remembering a fabulous 4-1 win from the 1992-93 campaign, he wrote: ‘Bristol Rovers... the classic one two from the legends Guy Whittingham and Paul Walsh… no other Boxing Day game tops it.’

It’s not all been festive fun, as Steve Roberts reminds us with a tale from 21 years ago.‘ Swindon away 1999 in their lovely open away end! Absolutely chucked it down. Tried to shelter in the toilets for a bit which then flooded. We ended up drawing 1-1 – Steve Claridge scored a late equaliser.’

And now your next challenge ... memories please of Pompey's best and worst New Year's Days ... tweet @stevebone1 or email [email protected]