It wasn't an easy process though, as I logged on to the Ticketmaster website only to find that club members could book their tickets online! Neither of the client reference numbers I had were deemed valid despite my knowledge that they both were and so I had to try my luck with the phones.
For about twenty minutes I constantly hit the "redial" button for the number provided by Pompey (0844 847 1898) but no joy there so I scoured the messageboard along with the other regulars and not-so-regulars (though I welcome all new members with open arms to the site) and I must thank the member who posted various different numbers to call to book tickets.
After a few attempts I managed to get through and after following the automated booking system rather nervously I managed to purchase two tickets in Block 521. Happy that I had managed to secure two tickets to the biggest game I've seen Pompey play to date, I slumped off back to bed to try and shrug off the man-flu.
I woke up again at about 11am and the pessimistic side of my ego wondered "What if you've accidentally booked them wrong?" so I checked to see if my booking had been confirmed by going online and it was there, displayed in all of its glory.
I suggest that any other anxious souls do the same and you can do this by logging onto Ticketmaster (make sure you have an account), click on the "My Ticketmaster" tab at the top of the screen and then the "Order History" link further down the page.
Then just fill in the phone number you used to order the tickets (without the first "0") and your card details and then select "Great Britain" from the last drop-down menu and click "Submit". Your booking details should be displayed, and if you get a message to say that the service is temporarily unavailable then just try again.
Alternatively you could ring 0870 242 4442 and talk to someone....
So that's my tickets booked and I'm happy that I've bagged myself an early birthday present, though I won't be entirely happy until those tickets are through my door and I'm holding them in my hand. I have a seat right in the top corner but I've heard the view isn't that bad, certainly not as bad as the view from the top of St. James' Park. The main thing is that I get to savour the occasion with 33,000 other Pompey fans and hopefully witness a Pompey win.
But will they actually all be Pompey fans? I know for a fact that not everyone going in the Pompey end actually cares about the club or the result, whether they're the "other half" of a season ticket holder or a Manchester United fan tagging along with their mate.
I have sympathy for any genuine fan who missed out on getting tickets, especially as there are less deserving people going, but then that was going to be inevitable anyway.
Which brings me onto my next point; the game against Wigan.
Its funny how we can sell out a game at Wembley in almost no time at all, yet just over of our allocation for the semi can't be sold for Saturday's game against Wigan.
I know that there will be fans that have genuine reasons for not being able to attend such as work or lack of funds after the huge chunk the Wembley game has taken out of their wallets. However, you can bet that there will be as many "fans" who really fancy a day out in London yet think "Fratton Park on a cold, wet afternoon against some little club from up North? Nah, I won't bother..."
I do wonder how many genuine fans we really have, and how many will be turning up on Saturday to see a probable weakened side play a side that will probably be happy with a point.
Still, there's no point in going on about it now. All ticket talk is over as far as I'm concerned (unless we get to the final, now that will be interesting!)
Here's hoping that all the worry will be worth it come next Saturday!