Staying Up!

Last updated : 30 April 2006 By Jim Bonner
Saturday 29th April 2006

That day will forever be etched in the minds of every Pompey fan. The memories for the 5,200 fans there will live on as some of the greatest they would have experienced as a supporter of Portsmouth Football Club. What a day! What an experience!

We all knew what was required, a win and for Birmingham to not beat Newcastle. As the travelling up to the North West continued you just had a feeling that the day would be pivotal in the clubs' history for one reason or another.

For Pompey fans' first trip to the JJB Stadium it was quite surreal. The North Stand filled up as the stadium was "treated" to an opera singer and then the usual pre-match tunes before kick off. The game began and both teams started with intent with D'Alessandro attempting something of a carbon copy of his goal against Charlton only for Toddy to latch onto the ball but send it over. Benjani worked his arse off once again and posed a genuine threat to the Wigan defence although the pace of Camara and David Thompsons play would cause us problems at the back, especially when the Senegal international was through one on one with Deano but the Pompey 'keeper did well to save it.

No doubt the tabloids are going to come up with the old "Divine inteference" cliche because midway through the first half the linesman; aptly named "Divine" ruled out a Camara goal for offside which I have to say thought was legit from the stands and would soon be confirmed on TV the following morning as Camara was clearly on. However he would get his goal after our defence failed to clear the ball in the box leaving the ex-Scummer with an easy tap in. At first I thought that one had also been disallowed because of the seeming lack of noise coming from the other ends, but it stood and we found ourselves a goal down for the umpteenth time this season.

Wigan then began to pile on more pressure as we kept giving the ball away and they came at us again and we could have been going into the break more than one down especially when Matt Jackson headed wide when it looked easier to score. But 1-0 to Wigan it was, and half time became frustrating when it took me ages to find out the current scoreline at St. Andrews, eventually from another fan in the stand because all that could be heard from the JJB was a terribly bad Brass Band encouraging the Pompey fans to sing "Shall we play a song for you?"

The second half began with a sub as Sean davis came off for Noe Pamarot just to make us feel even more uneasy about how the game would pan out. However immediately Pompey were on the attack with some good work down the wing but somehow Toddy scooped the ball over from two yards! I thought it could have been one of those days where the ball just wouldn't hit the back of the net, especially with Mike Pollitt saving everything we threw at his goal. So when do you pick a time to get your first goal for a club? Ask Benjani that and he would probably have said the first game he played in however after all of his work he has put in through recent games he finally, finally got the breakthrough he deserved and like many other goals scored when players are suffering a goal drought, this was a simple header from two yards after a shot came off the post.

1-1 then, and a renewed sense of belief! Time to throw even more forward and get a winner because let's face it, we don't have the best defence in the world! The pressing would pay off as good work by Toddy ended with him rounding Pollitt, crossing the ball so Benjani could head in a second but what's this? Hand ball!? Penalty! The Pompey fans cheer as Teale is sent off and a sense of deja vu is doing the rounds in the North Stand as a silly handball has given us a penalty that Matty Taylor steps up to take for the second time in consecutive games. The nerves are doing somersaults now.. he steps up... and scores of course as once again we have staged a comeback for the second consecutive week in similar fashion! I check the clock to the left and there's still 20 minutes to play... but time never flies when you're holding a lead.

As nervous as I felt, Wigan never really looked like getting back into the game. We defended solidly (including Pamarot) and we could have put the game to bed creating even more chances but Pollitt just would not be denied! Wigan look as if they're going to break late on so cue Richard Hughes to hack Chimbonda down and get a yellow card. Small price to pay for a priceless result! Wayne Routledge keeps the ball in the corner and a few moments later the final whistle is blown to send Pompey fans wild as we wait for the Birmingham result to come through when a minute later...

WE ARE STAYING UP!

I let out the loudest cheer I have ever yelled in my entire life! The Pompey team rush towards the North Stand like a bunch of nutcases and the supporters begin to swamp the pitch despite the best efforts of the Wigan stewards as the entire North Stand began singing just about every Pompey song under the sun among others! I was close to tears trying to accept the fact that despite all the shit we fans have been put through this season, we have still survived with a game to spare! The team returned to the tunnel and eventually the Pompey fans returned to their seats as Wigan began their player of the season presentations and even though it was great to see De Zeeuw once again the occasion belonged to us but there was a good sense of hospitality around the stadium for our support and the applause we gave to the Wigan players as acknowledgement of their good season made for a suitable return of respect.

The party continued after the awards and shortly the Pompey players ran back onto the pitch and celebrated once more, throwing their shirts into the crowd. Andres D'Alessandro was sat on the shoulders of Pompey staff singing "Play Up Pompey" and the rest of the team continued to cheer and applaud the massive travelling support who stayed for the party. Then the "We Want Harry" chants began and he duly obliged, walking out proud of his achievement though his celebrations were much more subdued than those of the Pompey players. I have to hand it to him, he has done an amazing job turning our season around and yes I did sing his name like I said I would should he get the job done! After more singing and partying the Pompey players and staff returned down the tunnel as the scrum of fans filtered out of the JJB Stadium in full knowledge we would be back next season.

And that was it, one of the best moments of my life was over and I will never forget such a day. Spare a thought for Birmingham and West Brom fans though. Relegation is a very difficult thing to take and no matter how much you dislike Birmingham as a club, you have to have sympathy for their decent supporters who deserve to see a team playing in the Premiership. Same goes for West Brom who had such a similar surreal experience last year but couldn't repeat the feat this year. Fratton Faithful wishes both teams good luck (and 6 points against Southampton) next season!

We can rejoice now, 16th position is still up for grabs and we can look forward to another party when Liverpool arrive into Fratton Park next week. We can look forward to trips to Anfield, Old Trafford, The Emirates Stadium and even the Madjeski Stadium once again come August. It has been one hell of a ride and the emotion of Premiership survival has got to me in this article as you may have realised! Now we can begin to plan for next season...

One final thing.... Charlie Nicholas, you owe the whole of Portsmouth an apology!