Talk:Portsmouth F.C.

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[edit] Nickname Pompey

Could you add explaination on the origin of that nickname? Everton 13:15, 16 Jun 2005 (UTC)

  • Pompey was originally a sailors' nickname for the city of Portsmouth, believed to be of 19th century origin. It may derive from a captured French ship, Le Pompée, which often docked in Portsmouth with British sailors stationed on it: the sailors from Le Pompée were referred to as 'Pompey Boys', which subsequently became a generic name for sailors based in Portsmouth - and so by back-formation Portsmouth became Pompey. Another well-known story, possibly apocryphal, is that while a female Salvation Army officer was lecturing a group of sailors and referred to the defeat of the Roman general Pompey, a captain sitting half asleep (possibly under the influence of drink) at the back called out 'Poor old Pompey' (although why that would lead to the name being bestowed on the port is unclear). Others say it comes from French people mocking British sailors for, in their view, looking like firemen ('pompiers') in their uniforms. I'm inclined to go for Le Pompée. Jess Cully 9 July 2005 01:11 (UTC)
  • There's also the story that a group of Portsmouth based sailors climbed Pompey's pillar, near Alexandria, and became known as the "Pompey Boys", and the name transferred back to the town. For some reason, this one seems the most plausible to me. Zooterkin 11 January 2005 21:10 (UTC)
  • Ships entering Portsmouth harbour make an entry in the ship's log 'Pom. P.' as a reference to Portsmouth Point.

[edit] Yakubu

Yakubu's first name is Abubakari (Unsigned comment by 82.156.71.55 (talk • contribs))

Abubakari Yakubu (of the Ghana) and Yakubu Aiyegbeni (of Nigeria) are two different persons. Aecis 17:31, 11 July 2005 (UTC)
Yes, and the former Portsmouth, now of Middlesbrough, player is the latter, from Nigeria. What is your point? Grunners 17:58, 11 July 2005 (UTC)
Nothing, I was responding to 82.156.71.55 (talk • contribs). Aecis 18:07, 11 July 2005 (UTC)
Apologies, didn't realise it was an unsigned comment and assumed both lines were posted by yourslef :) Grunners 01:45, 12 July 2005 (UTC)


[edit] Andy O'Brien

The Records section claims the largest transfer fee paid was £1,900,000 - Dejan Stefanovic. But below in this season's changes, it says Andy O'Brien arrived for 2 million. Can someone verify this?

This is a redundant discussion, the record fee is now for Benjani Cloudz679 22:20, 6 September 2006 (UTC)


[edit] Squad table layout

I don't know about anyone else but I cannot stand the layout that keeps being put on for the current squad. The table looks basic, is harder to read, and doesn't fit the free flowing look of Wikipedia. I have reverted this edit in the past, but am in turn reverted. Anyone else have an opinion? Grunners 18:02, 11 July 2005 (UTC)

I think Portsmouth's current squad should be presented the way the squad of IFK Göteborg has been presented. I think the layout of that section of the article could be a very good solution to this article. Aecis 18:12, 11 July 2005 (UTC)
I agree that the current layout with the boxes is really ugly, when I edited it last is was very like the Goteborg one which is similar to many others in the wiki. Bob Palin 18:56, 11 July 2005 (UTC)
I agree with you. I've just reverted it again. -- Arwel 19:24, 11 July 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Pompey Chimes

"The best known chant from the Pompey supporters is the "Pompey Chimes" ("Play up Pompey, Pompey play up" sung to the tune of a striking clock), generally reckoned to be the worst chant in football still sung." Harsh! And needs a reference...Badgerpatrol 21:37, 16 January 2006 (UTC)

missed vandalism, it's been changed that way before, should read oldest. Grunners 19:42, 17 January 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Arthur Conan Doyle

This article states that it is "a common myth" that "the club's first goalkeeper was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. While Conan Doyle did play for an amateur side, Portsmouth AFC, that flourished from 1882 to 1894, the first goalkeeper of the professional era was Matt Reilly who previously played for the successful Royal Artillery team." Arthur Conan Doyle, otoh, asserts that "while living in Southsea he helped form Portsmouth Football Club, playing as the club's first goalkeeper and occasionally as a right back between 1884 and 1890." Which of these is true? Aecis Appleknocker Flophouse 18:20, 14 May 2006 (UTC)

Conan Doyle did not play for Portsmouth FC. He did however, play in goal for AFC Portsmoth, an amateur team that preceded the professional team Nuttah68 15:31, 19 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Team Crest

Can someone explain the meaning of the team's crest? The crescent and star make it seem rather Islamic (though I assume that was not the intention). 69.137.220.179 02:26, 27 May 2006 (UTC)

The club badge is taken from the city's coat of arms (see e.g. here). As far as I know, no-one is quite sure where it came from; one theory is that it derives from Richard Coeur de Lion's coat of arms, possibly as a reference to his participation in the crusades. It isn't clear however- someone else may have a better idea. It certainly isn't improbable that it is linked to the Islamic symbol in some way. Badgerpatrol 02:58, 27 May 2006 (UTC)
There is no reason why Portsmouth should not have adopted a variation of Richard's Arm, as a compliment to the King for the favours that he had shown the Town during his brief reign. King Richard's first Great Seal showed on either side of his head a star with six wavy rays (known as an estoile) above a crescent moon. On some specimens of his first Great Seal an eight-pointed star was used. It is not known for certain whether Richard adopted this device as a result of going on the Crusades to Palestine in 1191, or whether it was a punning reference to the star called Regulus in the constellation of of Leo, which is commonly known a "Cor Leonis", or "Heart of the Lion", a nice play on words on Richard's nickname.82.10.32.180

The city's motto is 'heaven's light our guide', surely a reference to how boats navigated prior to modern times. Therefore, the middle of the badge contains the moon and the sun. The Pompey crest has simply taken them out of context.

[edit] Former Players

In the former players section I can see Andres D'Alessandro, who still technically plays for us (and wants to stay, his agent is being a bit of handful). And why is Laurent Robert doing on the list? He was simply awful at the club. I propose that Robert and D'Alessandro should be removed, Robert permanently and D'Alessandro until he lives club indefinately.--81.157.136.199 10:40, 30 May 2006 (UTC)

Moving D'Alessandro to former players may have been premature, but unless he signs it is correct. As for your other point, like him or not Laurent Robert is a former player. Nuttah68 10:13, 30 May 2006 (UTC)
He is a former player, but notable? If he is on the list among Dickinson and Prosinkecki because he is a former player, why isn't Vignal, Butters and Karadas on it as well --81.157.136.199 10:40, 30 May 2006 (UTC)?
Laurent Robert is a notable footballer even if his career at Portsmouth was a flop. Nuttah68 10:42, 30 May 2006 (UTC)

I notice Petri Pasanen is on the list, a player who was only with the club on loan for half a season and certainly not a memorable one in my opinion. I move that we remove him from the list. Comments please? Cloudz679 16:56, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

Pasanen should be on the list as we attempted to buy him, and he has had a significant carear since at Werder Bremen. Robert and D'Allesandro were also on loan and they are in the list. Thom32 21.24, 15 November 2006

[edit] Marc Wilson

On the squad sheet there is an irish player called Marc Wilson. If you click on his article you'll see that it leads you to a American Football quarterback of the same name. Disambiguation ahoy! --81.157.136.199 16:23, 3 June 2006 (UTC)

This is a redundant discussion, this was fixed a while back Cloudz679 22:20, 6 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Peter Harris

I have been digging for info ref P Harris to produce an article about him. But its very thin pickings. He was a local Pompey boy; does anybody have info about him? Devious Viper 82.10.32.103 10:49, 4 June 2006 (UTC)

There was a special edition copy of "The News" from some years ago called 'Pompey Legends' that had extensive bios on most of the famous past players, Harris included. I can't find my copy- if you can get hold of it though it could be very handy. Badgerpatrol 00:47, 5 June 2006 (UTC)
    • Thanks, thats a start. I'll have a scout around, see if any of the lads still have a copy. Devious Viper 17:49, 7 June 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Hooligan element

Is this really a big enough part of Portsmouth Football Club to dedicate a whole long sentence in the first paragraph? Just seems a bit excessive having the action of a small number of fans in the 1980's a major issue. Just me? Jabba27 20:45, 15 June 2006 (UTC)

I'm afraid it is, the lack of success and poor on field perfomances during the last 40 years means they have cultivated a jealousy and bitterness towards their more illustrious rivals Southampton who are rightfully and comfortably the best team in Hampshire over the last 40 years. Remember form is temporary and class is permanent, Southampton will be back in top flight next year. Newcastle United Fan.

I'm not sure this is helpful. Ostensibly this is a POV statement which does not really add any value to Wikipedia. References to jealousy and bitterness are clearly subjective and cannot be claimed as facts. Claiming that one team is 'rightfully' the best team in Hampshire is unencyclopaedic and again subjective. Predictions about Southampton's fortunes next season, while I'm sure entertaining, don't really belong in an encyclopaedia either. All that said, this is the talk page so I welcome others' views on this. To the main point raised by Jabba27, I don't think the reference to hooliganism in the main article is sufficiently significant for inclusion here, though perhaps it could be mentioned in the article on Football hooliganism. Duncshine 11:05, 20 June 2006 (UTC)
I would include both an (unbiased and NPOV) brief reference to the rivalry with Saints (without using blatantly unencyclopaedic language like 'jealousy' or 'bitterness', as the above anon wind-up merchant suggests) and another brief statement re hooliganism; sadly the (exaggerated) tales of the 6.57 crew et al are quite widely known and notable. However, I don't think either fact is important enough to put in the intro- the appropriate place for each would be as brief statements in the appropriate club history sections. Badgerpatrol 13:42, 20 June 2006 (UTC)
Yes, that makes sense. The current reference is "Portsmouth enjoy a fierce rivalry with Southampton, with the derby being recently reignited by Portsmouth's promotion to the Premiership in 2003. However, Southampton's relegation in April 2005 ended league fixtures between the two clubs for the time being". I would probably leave that as is. As to the hooligan reference, I'll try and put something reasonable in there. Cheers Duncshine 16:21, 20 June 2006 (UTC)


[edit] Israeli connection of Gaydamak

According to Observer article of 13 Aug "Oy Vey Pompey", Gaydamak holds Russian, French, and Israeli passports. I have chnaged the page to reflect this


[edit] Nickname "Sailors"?

"The club is nicknamed Pompey (or sometimes by older fans as The Sailors)" Can anyone give a reference for this? It's not a name I've heard before. Zooterkin 15:12, 21 August 2006 (UTC)

It seems to be a joke by a vandal, probably a Southampton fan, I've yet to find a fellow fan who knows of it. Grunners 20:01, 21 August 2006 (UTC)

Back in the early 20th century, people would refer to Portsmouth FC as "The Navy" because the city is the home of the navy, but I don't think we have ever been called the sailors. We used to have a sailor mascot called Pompey though. Thom32 19:21, 1 September 2006


[edit] Transfers

I have removed the recent transfers section, as Wikipedia is not a news service. Oldelpaso 11:25, 2 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] John Westwood

  • Is there any feeling about whether John Westwood warrants a mention with respect to the Chimes?
The previous edit that included -The best known chant from the Pompey supporters is the Pompey Chimes ("Play up Pompey, Pompey play up" sung to the tune of the Westminster Chimes) which is sung around Fratton Park with a beat of drums and John Portsmouth Football Club Westwood's bell and bugle- gives the impression that he is somehow a vital part of the occasion. Nuttah68 17:43, 13 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Kits

  • Now they are up to date for this season. I thought they warrented the extra detail as the home shirt does have more white than usual.

[edit] Player Numbers

  • I was reading through the page and noticed that in the Retired Numbers section it says the number 1 was retired "In respect to goalkeeper Aaron Flahavan who had passed away in August 2001." However, in the Current Squad section it says that David James is number 1. Is the retired number thing real?AndTheCrowdGoesWild 19:38, 17 December 2006 (UTC)
  • Portsmouth retired the number 1 shirt for the 2001 season, but have since brought it back.

[edit] Portsmouth in the Premiership (2003 - present)

This section is full of uncited commentary and POV comments - "blatant dive", "unfair penalty", "shock of the season", "contoversial", "dubious refereeing" etc, together with several uncited "quotes". Daemonic Kangaroo 06:19, 27 December 2006 (UTC)

Thanks to User:82.13.83.140 this section has now been tidied up and reads much better.Daemonic Kangaroo 14:06, 28 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Players

  • Is there a reason why some players names are in bold and some arent?
As it says above the list of players: "Players in bold have international caps" Darkson - BANG! 00:41, 3 February 2007 (UTC)
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