Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
Saints V Pompey 1974 - The Train Wrecking One
Saints V Pompey 1974 - The Train Wrecking One
Wednesday, 4th Apr 2012 09:17

A look back at a few of Pompey's visits to Southampton over the past years starts with a look at the clash in September 1974.

This was the first League clash between the two sides in over eight years, in that time Saints had been lording it in the top flight, whilst Pompey had been doing what they have done for more of their existence than anything else, languishing in the second tier of English football claiming to be a sleeping giant.

So the first League fixture between the two clubs on Saints return to division two was eagerly awaited down at Fratton Park as their chance to put what they saw as the upstarts back in their place, to the rest of the country, including Southampton there was indifference, Saints were more concerned with returning to the top flight at the first attempt and having held on to their big names in Channon and Osgood they fancied their chances, or at least had done at the start of the season, with six games gone aints were 19th and without a win, Pompey although they had won a game were still a place below.

In the week before the game John Mortimore the Pompey manager was sacked and Ian St John was appointed as the new Pompey boss, as Chairman John Deacon, a outhampton man born and bred who had been mayor of the City but turned down by the Saints board attempted to try and buy Pompey to the top flight, in true Pompey style, Deacon had claimed that Bill Shankly recently retired from Liverpool and Denis Law were in the frame, it was true that Alf Ramsey had turned them down, presumably remembering his Saints roots.

Pre match a train carrying Pompey supporters was wrecked with not one light bulb surviving, the police marched all 250 Pompey supporters on the train up the hill to the Civic Centre Police station were they were held in the yard until the game had started and then they were put on the first train home.

Pompey in true form had started wrecking everything in there path although usually they waited to get beaten first, in the ground a large pompey contingent got onto the Milton Road terraces early doors, long before most of Saints supports had got there and encamped on the West Stand side of the terrace, the police preferring to box them in and keep a 20 yard no mans land between them and the Saints fans than risk chaos by escorting them to the Archers Road end.

Saints 12 on duty that day included 8 who would be in the Wembley squad some 18 months later with Bobby Stokes on the bench, Pompey included Ron Davies who had left the Dell a year or so earlier.

The game was not a footballing spectacle, it was ruined by the referee live Thomas, who fresh from controversy in the 1974 World Cup where he had blown for full time just as a player was heading a goal, seemed determined to be the star of the show (luckily he had calmed down a bit when he refereed the FA Cup Final against Man Utd) on this day though five were booked and one sent off, this in the days when it took a hell of a lot to get booked let alone sent off.

On the footballing front, Saints took the lead in the 43rd minute when Peter Osgood volleyed home Mick Channon's far post cross, however Pompey who seemed content to spoil rather than try to play football, equalised on 58 minutes when Paul Bennett held down his old teamate Big Ron, who got up to convert the penalty on his old stamping ground.

On 77 minutes Saints won the game when Osgood again appeared at the far post to score, but the game still had plenty of incident left, the Saints supporters were insensed with the referee's handling of the game, whilst it had been Pompey kicking their way through the 90 minutes it was the Saints players who were getting booked and when Osgood went into the ref's notebook, a Saints fan ran on the pitch and attempted to attack Thomas, this didnt endear Saints to the ref who a minute or too later sent off Jim Steele for an innoculous looking body check on Norman Piper, Brian O'Neil must have blamed Piper for a minute later he sook retribution on the Pompey player and was himself booked for his trouble.

After the game there was little trouble to speak of, Pompey supporters were escorted back to the station with plenty of noise but didnt do much to break free of their police escort, apart from to charge a few Saints supporters waiting at the bus stops.

On the Sunday the police themselves sort retribution when they visited the homes of various under 16's who had spent the day at the police station to tell their parents what they had been up to.

Photo: Action Images



Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.


You need to login in order to post your comments

Norwich City Polls

About Us Contact Us Terms & Conditions Privacy Cookies Advertising
© FansNetwork 2024