Sports Mail nostalgia – Saunders at the double as champions Portsmouth ‘wake up and win’ at Port Vale

In the build-up to every Pompey first team fixture in 2022/23, Roger Holmes will be looking back at a corresponding match by featuring an archive Sports Mail front cover and an inside page here at portsmouth.co.uk

Roger almost certainly boasts the largest collection of Sports Mails among Pompey fans - he has over 3,000 of them.

He wrote a weekly nostalgia page in the Sports Mail for most of the 21st century, right up until the end of last season.

With the Blues visiting Port Vale on Saturday for the first time since April 2000, Roger looks back to victory in the Potteries 60 years ago …

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Having already made certain of winning the Third Division title, Pompey went four points clear at the top by beating Port Vale in front of 6,071 at Vale Park on April 28, 1962.

Bert Llewellyn put the hosts in front but Ron Saunders levelled in the 50th minute.

The Blues were looking the more polished side and Saunders put them ahead on 57 minutes, converting Johnny Gordon’s pass.

Two minutes later Pompey goalkeeper Peter Shearing only half cleared and Llewellyn equalised.

Jimmy Campbell followed up with the winner for Pompey after 69 minutes by completing a four-man move.

Pompey: Peter Shearing, Phil Gunter, Alex Wilson, Allan Brown, Brian Snowdon, Jimmy Dickinson, Tony Barton, Johnny Gordon, Ron Saunders, Roy Smith, Jimmy Campbell.

Pompey ended up winning the title by three points from runners-up Grimsby.

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Pompey Reserves’ hopes of winning the Midweek Section of the Football Combination were dealt a blow as they were held 2-2 by Southend United at Fratton Park. David Dodson was the scorer of both Pompey goals.

Tony Priscott was among the scorers for Pompey ‘A’ who beat Swaythling Athletic 4-1 in the Hampshire League. Swaythling changed their name to Eastleigh in 1980.

Pompey Juniors went down 3-1 at Bexleyheath.

Portsmouth FA lost 4-1 to Southampton in the Hampshire Youth Final. Future England international Martin Chivers was among the Saints scorers.

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Pompey manager George Smith was interested in signing Reading inside-left Jimmy Whitehouse who had been made available on a free transfer.

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Ipswich Town were crowned First Division champions after beating Aston Villa 2-0 at Portman Road.

Former Pompey centre-forward Ray Crawford struck both goals for Alf Ramsey’s side. Burnley made certain of the runners-up spot despite being held to a 1-1 draw with relegated Chelsea at Turf Moor.

Fulham ensured Division One survival with a 2-0 win at Craven Cottage over Manchester United thanks to a penalty by Jimmy Langley and a strike from Jackie Henderson.

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Southampton ended their season with a 5-1 win over Stoke City at The Dell in the Second Division.

There was disappointment among The Dell crowd as Stanley Matthews was missing from the visitors’ line-up.

Also in the second tier, Brighton were beaten 2-0 by Derby County at the Baseball Ground. That season’s champions were Bill Shankley’s Liverpool.

In Division Three, Bournemouth at Bradford City and Aldershot won their Fourth Division clash at York 1-0.

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In cricket, Pakistan started their tour of the British Isles with a one-day fixture against the Duke of Norfolk’s XI at Arundel.

The Duke’s XI comprised the entire Hampshire team that had won the previous year’s County Championship, for the first time in their history.

Roy Marshall (61) and Henry Horton (55) impressed as Hampshire - or Champshire as they were dubbed by the Sports Mail - posted 204-6 declared in 63 overs. Scoring rates were a tad slower than in today’s T20-dominated world!

The tourists replied with 173-6 off 53 overs.

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Princess Anne, aged just 11, won the mini jumping event at the first gymkhana to be held in Windsor Castle grounds. Prince Charles, 13, was eighth out of 15 competitors.