Portsmouth heading towards Wembley return without my help - but I still won't change superstitions

I’m trying to convince myself that football fans’ superstitions don’t matter.
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And I must say Pompey’s march towards Wembley for a second successive Football League Trophy is helping me bring me round to the idea.

For league and FA Cup games, I follow the same Saturday/Tuesday routines to try to aid the Blues.

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Admittedly I stick to them whether we’re on a winning run or not, which in itself suggests that I alone am not able to affect Pompey’s results.

But while we all know we’re not ‘in charge’, we all do things we think will help. Any football fan who denies following at least one superstition to help their team win is either lying or not a proper supporter.

But where the Leasing.com Trophy – formerly the Checkatrade – is concerned, I am reckless in my routine.

A home league or FA Cup game will, for example, involve me taking exactly the same route to my favoured Fratton turnstile or an away game I'm not at will have me wearing the same jumper if it’s been worn for a couple of victories (and those , incidentally, are among the more mainstream rituals I follow). But, to be frank, I do what I like for FL Trophy games.

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And where has this don't-care attitude got us? To the quarter-finals.

Pompey celebrate last season's EFL Trophy triumph at Wembley. Picture: Joe PeplerPompey celebrate last season's EFL Trophy triumph at Wembley. Picture: Joe Pepler
Pompey celebrate last season's EFL Trophy triumph at Wembley. Picture: Joe Pepler

I’ll be honest – this approach is because I don’t have much feeling for the competition, even if I did go to last year’s final and enjoy it tremendously.

I’m unworried over whether we get to the final again, although will probably be there if we make it. But the fact Pompey have made such smooth progress without my little foibles has made me think my weekly routines are not solely responsible for the Blues’ results.

But if you think that means I’ll take a different route to the turnstiles next Saturday, I have news for you...

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