This week, we shall be running a series of five posts examining the fortunes of 5 clubs that have experienced significant financial and/or organisational turmoil in recent times. Unfortunately, this cross section is but the very precarious tip of a very grubby iceberg indeed – and if you think the problems we shall detail are unique to this quintet alone or indeed the 72 clubs in the Football League, then think again. First up are Portsmouth and we are extra pleased to welcome SJ Maskell, the contributor to a string of tough minded articles covering the south coast outfit in…
All posts tagged Portsmouth
Speaking out on the Internet: Present Status and Future Prospects
One of this website’s latest followers on Twitter, Simeon F. W. Pickup states his interests as ‘Reading FC, Atheism, Labour. In that order.’ Although Ed Miliband’s negligible impact on the polls may have something to do with his party being relegated behind Brian McDermott and Richard Dawkins in Simeon’s thinking, I did read this as tongue in cheek. Nonetheless, therein lies a message. Football has always been a major tugger of primary impulses but in recent years, its importance has become more intense. While before, communities will have rallied around a political party, a cause, a labour union or a…
Championship Chow: Hartgill’s Seafood
Hartgill’s SeafoodThe HardPortsmouth PO1 3PUPortsmouth seems to have been a city in transition for a few years now. Its stern, concete centre has always been offset by the natural setting of the port and peninsula tip location but, a few years back, developers got tired of the pervading scruffiness and hoisted aloft a huge viewing platform in the shape of a sail – this Spinnaker now bestrides all, sitting atop a modern mall replete with all those usual footballer favourites: Nando’s, Franky and Benny’s, Jamie’s Italian and the like.But along The Hard – a the stretch of pavement that links said bland…
A small squad but experience to spare at Pompey
Twenty minutes in to last night’s match between Portsmouth and Reading at Fratton Park, I had made my conclusions. Far from the basket case of lore, the home side were actually looking pretty damn resilient – yes, they are a typically muscular Steve Cotterill side, unfraid to employ a height and weight advantage; but also one with a waggon load of experience and a lashing of dash.I’ll start with David Norris. Quite simply, “Chuck” looks like a footballer – squat, compact and tidy in possession, and yet possessing bite and leadership – he’s the kid you remember from the playground who…
Pompey’s Prospects
Given we have been tweeting and emailing (albeit not yet Google-plussing) supporters up and down the land for their thoughts ahead of this pre-season, it’s been a busy couple of weeks for The Two Unfortunates and our bumper joint pdf with The Seventy Two will be hot off the press on August 1. Coordinating such a venture has been no insignificant task and hence, it’s perhaps surprising that in only one case did we receive two contributions. Last year’s Portsmouth correspondent Rob Calver will be providing his thoughts on the south coasters for the preview proper, but as a taster, here are…
James: Are the wealthy middle classes really the ones to back a football team...
Lanterne Rouge: Garath McCleary on signing for Reading today:
"It's amazing to be a...
Lloyd: On the Oxford / Reading thing, Lanterne, you write that "there is no c...
Ben: Yes, it does loom a bit, doesn't it? Moxey's comments on the ground re...
