Portsmouth Nostalgia: Awesome Ayresome Park trip recalled

If you can remember as far back as this column a fortnight ago, you’ll know I was asking for 1990s Pompey games you regard as memorable.
Former Pompey striker Colin Clarke.  Picture: Gary M Prior/AllsportFormer Pompey striker Colin Clarke.  Picture: Gary M Prior/Allsport
Former Pompey striker Colin Clarke. Picture: Gary M Prior/Allsport

It’s decade two of four in our quick breeze through the 40 years for which I have been watching the Blues.

I’m picking out one match from each season – trying to avoid the obvious ones – and asking you to weigh in.

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Recurring themes in your favourites are FA Cup ties and the Jim Smith years.

Steve Dixon highlights the 4-1 Boxing Day bashing of Bristol Rovers in 1992 and the Cup win at Leeds in 1997.

Three of my own 10 picks from 1990 to 2000 were defeats and George Stevens also selects a Pompey loss: ‘I remember us getting utterly tonked 4-1 at West Brom (in ’93), but their fans were in their full BOING BOING era and it was a great day out.’

Jamie Parkinson comes up with one game for each ’90s season: ‘1990/91 Barnet 0-5 Pompey, 91/92 Pompey 4-0 Boro, 92/93 Pompey 2-0 Toon, 93/94 Man U 2-2 Pompey, 94/95 Everton 2-3 Pompey, 95/96 Pompey 2-2 Derby, 96/97 Leeds 2-3 Pompey, 97/98 Bradford 1-3 Pompey, 98/99 Pompey 3-0 QPR, 99/2000 Pompey 2-0 Sheff Utd.’

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For Michael Saunders, it’s an unexpected FA Cup replay win that sticks in the mind: ‘91/92 M’boro 2-4 Pompey, FA Cup 5th round replay.

‘Amazing game. They’d not lost at home for a year (even Man Utd only drew there in a League Cup semi).

‘They battered us first half but Colin Clarke’s greatest game for PFC saw us somehow get to 2-2 at HT. Second half all Pompey. Could’ve been six.’

JayR72 remembers two things about that Ayresome Park triumph: 1) Shaggy Anderton scored direct from a corner; 2) It was a little on the chilly side (not how he phrased it).

One last call for your ’90s faves for next week – tweet @stevebone1 or email [email protected]