Portsmouth Vs Luton Town

Matchday 68 took us on another journey to the south coast, with an early 12:30 kickoff due to Sky’s broadcast of the game. Our day began with a 05:00 alarm, as Liam was eager to start with breakfast at Tim Hortons. We were out the door by 05:40, making a quick stop at Tim Hortons. The prices were surprisingly high, so this might be our last visit there. After breakfast, we drove to Sandwell and Dudley Train Station to catch an early train to Birmingham New Street, where we then boarded the 07:03 service to Southampton Central.

During the trip, we were lucky to meet Alex, who generously invited us to sit in First Class. It was great to catch up with him, and the journey flew by. We arrived at Southampton Central on schedule, leaving us about 20 minutes to catch our final train to Fratton, the closest station to Portsmouth. The train was packed with football fans and Saturday shoppers, so we had to stand for the 45-minute journey.

Once in Portsmouth, we attempted to visit The John Jacques, a local Wetherspoon pub, for a quick drink, but it was too crowded, and security wasn’t letting anyone else in. We crossed the street to The Froddington Arms, where security questioned our “92FC Challenge” jumpers. After confirming we were home fans, we were allowed in. The pub was bustling, but two kind Portsmouth fans shared their table with us. I enjoyed a refreshing cider while Liam opted for a glass of orange juice.

After finishing our drinks, we walked toward the stadium, enjoying the warm weather. The 20-minute walk was pleasant, and we arrived with plenty of time before kickoff. We bought a matchday program and explored the stadium, taking photos along the way. I was impressed by the club’s tribute to fans who helped save them from liquidation in 2013.

At the turnstiles, security questioned the food I was carrying, stating that outside food wasn’t allowed. This was a first for us, but a supervisor eventually cleared it, confirming that my food was fine since it wasn’t fast food like McDonald’s. We then made our way into the ground, stopping at the toilets before finding our seats. Locating Block A1 was a bit tricky due to unclear signage, and even a steward directed us to the wrong block.

Our seats had better legroom than at Sixfields, although the view was slightly obstructed by roof support posts, which wasn’t mentioned on the tickets. Despite this, the Portsmouth fans were in great spirits, constantly singing and cheering for their team.

The match was lively, featuring our first red card of the season when Luton’s goalkeeper was sent off after receiving two yellow cards in quick succession. Despite Luton being down to 10 men, neither team could find the back of the net, and the match ended in a 0-0 draw.

With our train times in mind, we decided to leave in the 85th minute and made a brisk walk back to Fratton station to catch the 14:31 train. This gave us just enough time to catch our connection at Southampton Central for the train back to Birmingham New Street, and finally, our last train to Sandwell and Dudley.

A big thank you to the CrossCountry staff, especially Alex and Zainab, for making our journey smooth and enjoyable. It was a long day, but ticking this stadium off our list made it all worthwhile. Next up is Matchday 69, where we get a bit of a break with a 15:00 kickoff at Bolton, where they’ll face Wrexham.

5 Facts About Portsmouth FC:

1. Historic Success: Portsmouth FC, also known as Pompey, has won the English top-flight title twice, in 1949 and 1950, making them one of the few clubs to have won back-to-back league titles.
2. FA Cup Glory: The club has won the FA Cup twice, first in 1939 and then again in 2008. The 1939 victory is notable because Portsmouth held onto the trophy for seven years due to World War II suspending the competition.
3. Fratton Park: Portsmouth’s home ground, Fratton Park, has been in use since 1898. It is one of the oldest football stadiums in continuous use in England and has a unique mock Tudor facade on the main entrance.
4. Community Ownership: In 2013, Portsmouth became the largest fan-owned football club in English history after being taken over by the Pompey Supporters Trust, saving the club from liquidation.
5. Naval Heritage: Portsmouth FC’s nickname, “Pompey,” is derived from the city’s rich naval history, and the club’s crest features a star and crescent, symbols closely associated with Portsmouth’s maritime heritage.