- 4 months ago
Jordan Cross and Mark McMahon join forces to discuss the latest chapter of the south-coast derby between Pompey and Southampton, with the two sides heading into battle at St Mary’s on Sunday.
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00:00Hello and welcome to this latest edition of Pompey Talk. My name is Mark McMahon and joining me today to discuss all things Pompey and more importantly, well not more importantly, but the South Coast Derby. The next thing on the agenda is Jordan Cross. Jordy, welcome.
00:21More importantly this weekend Mark. Yeah, no, that's not, that's not an out of turn. He's not coming.
00:26The South Coast Derby, like, it's been a long time coming. It feels like we've been looking forward to us for quite some time.
00:37Yes, yeah. And it's quite interesting the dynamic around it and how you say we've been looking at this and this is something we spoke about with John Messina yesterday that that's all he's heard about since coming into the club.
00:52I think he gets reminded of it most, but it became increasingly probable.
00:57And I just think that even a couple of weeks ago, not the mood, there would have been probably a more air of trepidation around this game and quite rightly too, with the relative standings of the club at the moment.
01:11And we can talk about this, which we spoke about how Pompey was closing the gap with sides and we'll have to with Southampton this weekend.
01:18But just the way the kind of stars were aligned with Pompey starting the season in upwardly mobile fashion, the good end to the transfer window,
01:27Connor Chaplin coming in and it being just the 5,229 days since Pompey were last above Southampton in the football hierarchy.
01:38And they go into the game, even in a formative table, slightly above them.
01:44I just, and I get this from kind of speaking to fans and talking about it and around the city and your friends and people, you know,
01:49and people you bump into that just seem to be more one shift or more of a shift towards a mood of anticipation around this now excitement.
01:58And I'm not saying that needs that Pompey are going in, they're not going in his favour, far from it.
02:03But I just sense that around the, around the place that people are more infused about the game than they would have been probably even a couple of weeks ago.
02:12Yeah, that's interesting because I was going to ask you yourself personally, are you nervous?
02:17Are you apprehensive?
02:18Are you excited?
02:19Are you confident?
02:20What is your own feelings going into on the footballing side of things, where Pompey are in comparison in the Southampton?
02:27All of the above, Mark.
02:29Yeah.
02:29Yeah.
02:29I mean, it's been in terms of league encounters, isn't it, since 2012.
02:34Obviously, we had the game in 2019 where it was set fair, wasn't it?
02:38Pompey were two divisions apart and it was a free hit.
02:41But I think what you can, well, actually, I'll answer your question, but then you can go into more neutral observations about the game and what people, neutrals are saying and how the bookies have it.
02:53Now, I'm excited, but Southampton are favourites for good reason.
03:00But Pompey and John Messino, they found ways to close gaps and they still have to do this in the championship.
03:06We know the championship hierarchy in Southampton have come out of the top division with a massive array of talent, armed with parachute payments and they're spending well.
03:16And Pompey are at the bottom of the pile in terms of the hierarchy.
03:19But John Messino has found ways to close the gap with championship rivals and that's what they're going to have to do this weekend.
03:29OK, yeah, let's talk about the bookies.
03:30The bookies have Pompey almost four to one outside as Southampton are odds on.
03:35I can't remember the exact ones, but they are odds on for the game.
03:39And you get to seasoned EFL observers, people like not the top 20, I find are outstanding with their analysis.
03:49And they said they have Southampton down as clear favourites going into the game and quite right too.
03:56They should, you know, if this game gets played 10 times and you expect Southampton to win the majority.
04:01But as I say, Pompey have closed the gap before.
04:05You think about the games against the likes of Leeds last season and this is a lot of it's going to go out the window.
04:10It's going to be gnarly.
04:12It's going to be, it's going to be intense.
04:14It's, you've got to be used careful as journalists about the type of language we use, but it's hatred, it's hostile, it's obviously a national, this is not, you know, it's an unbiased assessment.
04:28So it's the most hostile derby in football.
04:31I don't think it's hyperbole.
04:32So all of that goes in and it's just set fair for a fantastic occasion.
04:38Yeah, just on that, like I've been to quite a few big games down for the years, derbies, Liverpool-Manchester games, Merced derbies, Celtic Rangers.
04:47After that, I've been the one Southampton-Pompe game that was back in that 2011-12 season of front part.
04:53And I've never felt such unease at a game than I did at that one.
04:59And that was me in the press box too, like, so, yeah, completely get that there.
05:06What is John Massino's best approach for this game then?
05:09Bear in mind, it is a game that has been drummed into the players for probably this past two weeks.
05:16It's just been the main talking point ever since the Preston game.
05:20What does John Massino, how does he approach this game?
05:25I don't think it's been within the camp necessarily all they've spoken about, all they've focused on.
05:32But they don't need reminding about the significance of this.
05:36Now, I know there's some talk of Southampton have to parachute in some of their big names from the past to let these players know.
05:44I find that incredible. And it's not a dig, but I just, I don't think any of that, that's just not required.
05:52The players at Pompey are being around the club. They know the identity of the club.
05:57They know what it means. You've got Pompey lads in the camp.
06:01You've got Marlon Pack in the camp. You've got, you've got John Swift in the camp.
06:05You've got Conor Chaplin coming back into the camp. But even without those, I mean, yeah, there's an understanding of what this club's about, the identity of the club.
06:15And they chime with this group. They're a hardworking bunch.
06:19And let's take the derby out of it. They know the identity of Portugal from what's required.
06:23And John Sino's side epitomises it. They work harder. The numbers show you that there was only, in terms of their pressing, I think there was one club above them last season.
06:35I think it was Pompey, Leeds and Swansea. And that, even with a change of identity, a fair way into the season.
06:43So I think if you'd have put that across the season, probably would have come out top.
06:45They covered a hard yard. They know that they will be forgiven deficiencies in quality if they go out and put the shift in.
06:53And that's what it's going to be this weekend. And that's what it's going to be.
06:55It's going to Southampton have the talent, but it's a derby. It's going to be intense.
06:59It's going to be scrappy. It's going to be probably a little bit about who can keep the cool heads and channel the intensity of the occasion and the emotion.
07:07And I think John Massino, I mean, he gave a really excellent press conference yesterday where he was measured.
07:14And we spoke about the players keeping their heads and also using the energy of the occasion.
07:19And they don't need telling about what this is. John Massino doesn't need telling about it, but they'll be ready.
07:26Does Massino, though, need to manage his players?
07:29Like, I've seen a few coaches from Will Still already saying that he expects Pompey to be hyper-efficient, hyper-aggressive, all this year.
07:37Which, yes, you do expect, but at the same time, you probably need to have 11 players on the pitch the entire time.
07:44John Massino clearly will be telling that to his players, be aggressive, press hard, do what it does, do what is needed to do on this sort of day,
07:52but in a controlled manner as well, because that's going to be very important.
07:57Yeah, a really good point, because this is something I asked John yesterday, and we'll probably pick up on it,
08:02and it'll be online between now and Sunday.
08:05Anyway, that exact question, I said, what happens?
08:08Because when you have players that are up for the occasion, you know, I'm thinking, you know, Gazza FA Cup final,
08:17you know, kind of so hyped up, going and chucking in tackles all over the place.
08:21That's an extreme example.
08:22But, yeah, because one misplaced tackle, like, one, you know, and you're off the pitch, and you're down to 10 men.
08:31So I said, what do you do to John if you look around the dressing room and you see someone up at that point?
08:36And he said, it's very individual.
08:38He said, sometimes, you know, you look around and you know the players that will be up there,
08:43and that will get the best out of them, and others perhaps, you know, maybe some, you know,
08:48lesser experienced players, you might need to have a quiet work.
08:52But he didn't seem particularly bothered about that, because I think that's a good point,
08:55that if you go in and everyone's going to be so hyped, it's going to be feverish the game,
09:02and it's going to be about players wanting to win their individual battles and come out on top of that.
09:10And that's going to be sometimes when you want to go in and make an impression and go in and go in hard,
09:16go in in an English, traditional English fashion.
09:19Well, you do that and you go too far this weekend and you could lead your team, the South Coast Derby.
09:25So it's all about channeling it.
09:27It's a time for cool heads.
09:28I remember writing before Pompey got promoted to the Premier League under Harry Redknapp's game before three o'clock,
09:35that game, colon, a time for cool heads.
09:38And it is.
09:39But to do that, you need to channel it as well.
09:40You need to breathe and live the occasion and take it to another level.
09:44And I think just John Messina as a player, I said, if you do a fancy dish,
09:47and he's like, you don't need to ask that, you know, on a fancy dish as a player.
09:51But he's shrewd and he's got the intellect to know to be across all that.
09:55And, yeah, I just think that he will have a perfect sort of be able to ride that line between the cool heads
10:04and channeling the occasion.
10:05And I think that will come across in his players.
10:08Yeah.
10:10Before I ask you a question, I'm going to give you a couple of facts.
10:13Southampton, they've only won twice in the league in the whole of 2025.
10:19Big Wrexham on the opening day of the season.
10:23I think I was our last-minute winner.
10:25And I really scored two goals in the last couple of minutes.
10:29Yeah.
10:29Last victory was against Epswich in February in the league.
10:33So they're not used to winning.
10:36They've got a new manager in who's still, obviously, probably trying to instill his beliefs,
10:42his system into this group.
10:44They've also had a massive, massive overhaul.
10:47I know Pompeo brought in 11 players, et cetera.
10:49But they've brought in the same number, got rid of 14, completely new group.
10:54Basically, what I'm saying, is this a good time to be playing Southampton,
10:58bearing in mind just those factors I've sort of mentioned there?
11:03Maybe.
11:04Yeah.
11:05Yeah, I can see that.
11:06They're going for a transitional.
11:07But you've answered the point I was going to make.
11:09Pompeo have made 11 changes themselves.
11:10So they're still getting that game idea across to a number of new players,
11:16which you can talk about Conor Chaplin and then his potential role or not.
11:19I mean, does he come in and understand what's required in a couple of weeks to start the game?
11:26So that's significant.
11:28But I mean, come on, fellows of Zaz.
11:31You've got Armstrong on the bench.
11:32You've got Ross Stewart on the bench.
11:33That's a ridiculous array of attacking talent.
11:37Yeah.
11:38Yeah.
11:39To be able to call on.
11:40And I think that would probably comfort me if I was down the road and one of them
11:45which I can't even comprehend in the slightest.
11:48But yeah, I mean, look at it from Portsmouth point of view.
11:52Just look at their team.
11:53And in the words of Harry Redknapp, look at their bench.
11:57And yeah, they've got a fearsome array of talent.
12:01And that's why the bookies have them as Pompeo's 4-1 outsiders.
12:05And they do that for a reason.
12:06And bookies don't come up out of pocket too often, do they?
12:10Yeah.
12:10Well, just going back on your point, Pompeo brought in a lot of players too.
12:15They've certainly strengthened Pompeo's bench.
12:18But you look at Pompeo's best 11.
12:21There's not going to be that many changes from the say that did so well over the second
12:25half of last season, got Pompeo the 16th.
12:27You're probably talking tomorrow, and we will talk about Chapman a bit.
12:31And you're probably talking about Chapman, Segetich, and Swift, maybe the only three that
12:36weren't in the Pompeo ranks this time last season.
12:39So, like, you've got that continuity of Pompeo.
12:42There's not, it's not like a massive overhaul that Joel Masilo needs to start from scratch
12:47all over again.
12:48They've got the momentum, they've got the players from last season that did so well.
12:51They've got players who are back from injury.
12:53They know the system and all that there.
12:55So, I don't know, maybe I'm trying to look for some sort of positive here.
12:58No, no.
12:58That stands in an awful lot.
13:00No, no, no.
13:01I think it's all valid.
13:02And I think that in an occasion like a South Coast derby, they all probably, the make-up
13:12of a Porter's sign have certain factors, that kind of, you know, what was it, what was it
13:17we all still called them?
13:18Sort of hyper-intent.
13:20Hyper-aggressive, hyper-efficient.
13:23I think those are the proper terms of use.
13:24Yeah, and maybe those factors fall on Pompeo's side in a South Coast derby where it's going
13:29to be tenacious and not necessarily about continuity and fluidity in the occasion, which would
13:37probably fall more on Southamptons because they've got the more talented players.
13:40So, yeah, that's a cause for optimism.
13:45I just think that the margins in terms of where they are, where we are as respective football
13:51clubs at the moment, favour Southampton.
13:56Is it a four-to-one, Pompey four-to-one outsiders in a South Coast derby?
14:00Probably not.
14:00I think, you know, I'd see why the bookies have got the bounce and I think they're kind
14:05of odds on.
14:05I'll say, I'll have to find the odds in a minute because it's doing my head in.
14:08But, yeah, the fact is that at a play in a South Coast derby and Pompey's identity probably
14:15make it a closer game than what those odds are.
14:17I still think it's not much of the favourites, whoever.
14:20Yeah.
14:20Paddy Power, before I come on, I looked up.
14:22Paddy Power, I've got Southampton 8th and 11th, a draw 14-5, Pompey 17-5.
14:28So, like, that gives everybody a good idea of where the bookies see this here.
14:33I know I've been trying to look for some positives, et cetera.
14:36On a negative side, but maybe Pompey are showing that this is no longer the case.
14:42Pompey's away form last season was a massive concern.
14:46I know they sort of rectified it over the second half of the season, but there were some big
14:50beatings on the road.
14:52So, Stoke, West Brom.
14:55We know Pompey went to West Brom this season.
14:57We've got a draw.
14:59Is that a way form still something that you're worried about when it comes to Pompey?
15:03Bristol-Satty, again, is another one that got a bit of a hammering.
15:08Is the way form still a concern for you?
15:11I mean, I'm slightly kind of in between the lines on your question here.
15:16Like, Pompey had the ability to get an absolute tanking on the road at times last season.
15:21And could that happen this weekend?
15:23Like, potentially, if they need to chase the game, they're behind, of course.
15:28But I think John made certain pieces, almost, if that's not the right phrase, but the way
15:37that Pompey were evolving last season and the kind of things he had to give away to kind
15:45of get some results, he knew that Pompey were in a position where they would get tanned at
15:51times.
15:52For example, that he knew, like, moving Marlon Pack into the middle of defence that, you
15:57know, he's not the quickest.
15:57He doesn't know the position as well as, you know, other positions on the pitch.
16:03So, on big spaces, he could get opened up, and that's what happened at times in the bigger
16:08defeats.
16:08But the upside was he was going to, you know, that was a move that would turn out the wins
16:11that kept Pompey in division.
16:13So, they're kind of moving away from those sort of things that were probably contributing
16:19to those thrashings.
16:22Are they far enough away from them yet?
16:25Probably not.
16:25But I think that they will emerge from that and be better away from home and less susceptible
16:31to those thrashings this season.
16:34I think probably this season, the bigger issue will be Fortress-Frat and, you know, maintaining
16:39that status for the team to come to terms of that.
16:43And I think the away form, they might move somewhere closer to meeting each other in the
16:47middle.
16:47So, hopefully not.
16:49Hopefully not.
16:50But, yeah, you don't know the dynamics.
16:52If Pompey are 1-0 down in 60 minutes and then want to try and get back into the game, then
16:57you can, you know, Pompey would rather go out on their sword, wouldn't they?
17:01Try and get a result rather than, and that, you know, setting for a 1-0 defeat, they'd
17:06probably want to go out and try and chase a draw and could conceivably lose, you know,
17:09a second, third or fourth.
17:10Yeah.
17:11Does Connish Chaplin start for you?
17:13Deadline Day signing from EPSWAS.
17:15John Massino in his press conference on Thursday.
17:19Understandably wouldn't commit to it.
17:21A wee bit coy.
17:23But, and you, does he start for you?
17:25Straight in the team, say, Palmer.
17:27Yeah.
17:28Yeah.
17:28So, the factors around that, and I think we're sort of covered, but, you know, Connish back.
17:32Is he ready to start?
17:34John Massino says yes.
17:35Does he start?
17:36Does he get across the ideas that he needs to, you know,
17:40understand what's required from Pompey?
17:44That's a debate.
17:45He probably starts.
17:47You know, if, you know, a gun to my head, and I've got no insight on this, yeah,
17:52he probably more likely starts.
17:54And because he's been playing, he's played every game for Ipswich this season,
17:57he started, in terms of physicality, he's there.
18:00So, yeah, it's just a debate.
18:02Although, just imagine if you need, you know, you had to bring him off the bench to lift,
18:06that could give you a chase in the game.
18:07So, there's that side to it.
18:09But, yeah, Segetich has been known to, or has played on the right quite a bit.
18:16So, yeah, that would probably be the way it would go.
18:19But there's other, there's other, I mean, Luke LaRue's very close to starting, isn't he?
18:22So, that's, you know, another factor.
18:25Josh Knight isn't coming to sit on the bench at Pompey.
18:28But I can't see how you could rip up a defence that's been, partnership that's been so good in Paul's,
18:34Regan Paul's been excellent in recent weeks and kind of shocked Lesley.
18:37So, they're the kind of, they're the talkers, I would say.
18:40And, of course, Williams and Swanson are very close to each other at right back.
18:43So, there's a few, there's a few little areas in the pitch there.
18:46And, as you say, it's not just that.
18:48I mean, Marlon Pat's coming back from injury, isn't he?
18:51I think he's going to be putting his hand up for availability as well.
18:55There's going to be a lot of players, not just this weekend, but moving forward,
18:58that's going to be not just on the left on the bench, they're going to be left in the stands.
19:02Boat and Farrell were left out the last one.
19:04And then you've got the kind of, like, I don't think Frank Arumann necessarily can get in yet.
19:08Or maybe he does, but, you know, sort of Yang would come out as well.
19:15And Mackenzie Kirk's close to it.
19:16So, what do they do with the likes of Kostnowski as well?
19:19Do they come out that says we left out of the picture this weekend?
19:22Just when you mentioned Josh Knight, and again, Burn, this is an away game, big game.
19:27Do you foresee any circumstances where Massino goes, let's play three at the Black, Shaughnessy,
19:32pull, night, keep things tight, make us hard, make up line, hard to get through, penetrate.
19:40Do you see, it goes against everything that Massino has done, but do you see him going along those lines?
19:46Maybe not for this game, but even further down the line where he goes, I've got all these centre halves.
19:50I need to keep someone happy.
19:52This could make us tighter at the back, especially away from home.
19:54Do you foresee that in any time during the season?
19:57Yeah, potentially.
19:59And in terms of Saturday, if you need to, I don't see him probably starting that.
20:02I could see him finishing that way if it was a requirement.
20:06And it was quite intriguing to see last time out at Preston, not necessarily a back three,
20:10but Josh Knight was thrown on him and played right, and Regan Paul was moved to right back,
20:15which is an interesting weapon.
20:16And when we looked at that at first in the press box, it was like, oh, that's a back three there, isn't it?
20:20And then it's like, oh, okay.
20:22And then it became more apparent that Regan had gone across.
20:25But if you need to see out games, it's a really good weapon for Pompey to have.
20:30And in-game as well from the outset, yeah, we're not down the line of it.
20:36Pompey want that kind of adaptability.
20:39They're not going to be kind of looking at one sort of formation.
20:42And the 4-3-3 was more than a 4-2-3-1 this season, comes into play as well.
20:47With the midfield and John Swift, the way he plays, I mean, he was sold on being a left-sided eight when he came in.
20:54He's obviously played a bit deeper than that so far.
20:56But ultimately, you want to get to a place where you can do that in-game and move between.
21:00And this is what Pompey do, I mean, without sort of any obvious things.
21:05You look at the formations and you go through a number of formations and variations on that through the game.
21:11So, yeah, back three is certainly a possibility moving forward.
21:14Yeah.
21:14You met some pact earlier on.
21:17He's definitely going to be in the Pompey ranks in the Sun description on Sunday.
21:23But, yeah, is this a game that you want to throw him back in just for his experience of the big occasions,
21:29playing at these types of games in the Championship week in, week out, throughout his career?
21:34Or is there still question marks of whether he gets into this Pompey team?
21:39I mean, Marlon could have two cruise ships, a couple of broken legs, broken collarbone.
21:43He'd still be in that dressing room on Sunday.
21:44No doubt about that in mind whatsoever.
21:49He's a season ticket holder.
21:50He's been around these games.
21:51He knows what they mean.
21:52He's got the memories of a kid as a kid.
21:56So what a great weapon to have.
21:59And, again, as I say, not necessarily to remind the players of what – but just, you know,
22:05you could give a rousing team talk to Marlon before the game, couldn't you?
22:09He would get you up for it this weekend just to have him in there.
22:12So, yeah, he's coming back from, you know, from his injury and surgery.
22:19But he's pushed himself.
22:20And, yeah, what was the time span?
22:22Six weeks.
22:22I knew he'd be –
22:23I didn't know, I'm not necessarily knew that Pompey would be putting the pitches out,
22:27but I knew he'd be back pushing whatever way he was for training – to get good weeks training under his belt.
22:33Does he start?
22:34Not for me.
22:35Does he have a place on the squad?
22:37Absolutely.
22:38I'd have him on the bench.
22:39We've certainly – yeah, if required and the game unfolds in the way that suits Marlon's presence on the pitch,
22:49then having him there to play a part.
22:52But, yeah, just a great weapon in so many different ways for Pompey to have at their disposal this weekend.
22:59Yeah.
22:59You mentioned Chaplin would start for you, 10 at number 10 role.
23:03That would suggest then Segetich moving out to the right.
23:06Like, are you concerned by any means that he's travelled the whole way to Australia?
23:11He's been to New Zealand, actually, as well.
23:13Yeah.
23:14No game time.
23:15He's had such a long flight.
23:16It's going to be jet lagged.
23:17Do you have any qualms?
23:19Every single week I have said to my team – I think we've discussed this before –
23:24but bear in mind what he's went through over the international break,
23:27they probably need to look at something else out there on that right wing.
23:30No, not for me.
23:32He's played a heck of a lot of football out there.
23:36I think he was mostly there last season because he was so effective at coming in that channel,
23:44half space for the new school, and unloading with – I mean, he's just got a space sort of around 20 yards out.
23:54They all put it to zones now.
23:55It's the same 14th, the one on the edge of the box, they say Connor Chapman.
23:57But, yeah, the same 15th percentage where he just can come into that channel and he's dangerous.
24:04And look at all his goals last season.
24:05They came from – a lot of them came from that area where he can just find half the yard to unload.
24:10It does make Pompey probably a little unbalanced in terms of inverted wingers, which is obviously de rigour now.
24:18He won't necessarily be going around the outside, and Southampton will be aware of that.
24:23But he starts – and going back to your question, he did play a minute for – it wasn't even the squad for the second game for Australia.
24:29Yes, there is the travel.
24:30He reported back yesterday, recording this on Friday, reported back on Thursday.
24:36And, obviously, you've got the extra day before the game on Sunday.
24:39So, I don't see that being a problem for Adrian Segsic.
24:41That's not a concern for me.
24:43I'll be there still.
24:44OK, then, who's going to be the key player for Pompey?
24:51Oh, that's so hard.
24:54Because you're going to need the heroic defending.
24:57You're going to need Regan Paul and shot Nessie to be nine out of tens to get a result because just of how strong Southampton are.
25:06But you need your big players to turn up going forward.
25:08So, oh, it's so tough.
25:10It's a big afternoon for Colby Bishop.
25:13Josh Murphy, you need him to be Josh Murphy at his best.
25:17And you've got Conor Chaplin as well.
25:19Oh, man, tough one.
25:21Yeah.
25:22I'll tell you what, it's immortality for someone, though, isn't there?
25:26Just even mention those names, Bishop, Chaplin, Murphy, Shaughnessy, Poole.
25:34Like, there are players that do the business for Pompey, well, Chaplin, week in, week out.
25:40Like, so, again, to me that there inspires you a little bit of confidence when you've got those players in your starting line-up.
25:47Just their sheer mention of those names gives you a lot of confidence for me.
25:51Yeah.
25:52Yeah, Pompey have closed the gap with Southampton, no doubt about it.
25:55And they've closed, you know, since coming to the championship, there's not.
25:59I mean, you think back to 2019 when Pompey played very well, actually, for the best part of the first half.
26:07And they could have, I mean, they went very close and could have been and should have been in front in that game.
26:10But there was such a distance between, you know, you knew Pompey were playing at full tilt then.
26:15And that was a Pompey that would go in well in League One.
26:18But there was just so much.
26:19There was just great distance in quality.
26:22Now, Pompey have closed that.
26:23And I'm not saying probably haven't quite got the athleticism in some areas of pitch.
26:28I mean, Josh Murphy being countering that statement that Southampton have and the talent.
26:35But, yeah, it's closer.
26:36And they've shown that they belong at the championship level and, yeah, on a given occasion, they can rise to that.
26:43So, yeah, they're getting closer to these sides, not just Southampton, but to the bigger teams.
26:50And they're showing that they belong with their upwardly mobile starting the championship.
26:54And that bodes well for this weekend.
26:57Yeah.
26:57I don't want to ask one of these cliche questions, but, you know, how important are the fans going to be?
27:032,700 fans traveling to the game in that bubble, clearly up for it.
27:09Just how important are they going to be on Sunday?
27:11Yeah.
27:12Yeah.
27:12They're going to be significant.
27:16But, again, you don't need a call to arms for Pompey fans.
27:23I'll leave it at that.
27:24You'll leave it at that.
27:25All right.
27:25Then, final one, you're a perfect boy, Jordi.
27:29We all know that there.
27:30How much does this fiction really mean to you?
27:35And for those, yeah, born and bred, I'm obviously from Northern Ireland.
27:40Yeah.
27:40You have a blow in, but for you, can you explain it, really, just how important this game is?
27:45Yeah.
27:46When Pompey won the South Coast Derby in 1988, it was the second one, so he drew the home game.
27:57But on January 3rd, 1988, we went to Southampton and beat them 2-0.
28:00And the day after that, the news, the back page headline, South Coast Kings.
28:07And never since, as a headline resonated with me so much, it was like, we're the kings, we're the kings of the south.
28:15And it just brought it home to me, it brought home the power of a headline to me, really.
28:18And I remember that so clearly.
28:22And it never, as a headline, sort of hit home since then.
28:26I was eight years old.
28:29Well, I was eight years old, but I remember it so clearly.
28:31And, yeah, I think you don't have a choice, really, sort of in the households I grew up in.
28:37And everyone's got their stories about the South Coast Derby.
28:39Some we can share and some, like, are very personal.
28:45But, yeah, I've got memories.
28:45And in my household, there was no, you know, that was just the way it is.
28:48You have to have a healthy disdain for that lot down the road.
28:51That's just, yeah, how it was.
28:54So, yeah, it's just, you know, everyone's got their Derbys.
28:58But I think it's a very unique Derby, born in a lot of history.
29:01The identities of the city have just been so very different.
29:07You've got ports of sort of the island mentality, Southampton and a naval port,
29:11Southampton's commercial port, which was more affluent and more successful.
29:15So, yeah, there was all that kind of.
29:17And I think, actually, when you look at the history of it, you can even channel it back down to medieval times,
29:21where Southampton's port was a bigger one than Portsmouth's.
29:24That could have maybe bred some contempt.
29:28But, yeah, all the way through, sort of, the kind of the origin of the scummers and the Southampton company union men
29:34and that being an urban myth about the picket lines.
29:37But other historians sensing that it might have actually been when they travelled between areas,
29:43that that might have been the origin going back to the turn of last century.
29:46But, yeah, it's two very different cities.
29:50And it's a very unique thing where you can get logical, successful people.
29:55Like, I know a doctor that just can't contend with red and white stripes.
30:00Like, he's repulsed when he sees the Southampton base.
30:04This is a successful person.
30:06I know other people.
30:07I'm not saying I'm one of them, but I am.
30:11But, no, I guess.
30:12But, yeah, it's just a very unique thing.
30:14And it's a wonderful thing.
30:16And, yeah, it's a very, very unique derby, which is etched in history.
30:21So, yeah, it means a lot.
30:22And I've got some great memories from being lucky enough to cover South Coast derbies as well.
30:28Back to I remember being kind of in the 4-1 in 2010, just kind of as Avram Grant went over to the Pompey fans.
30:35And I was kind of he came back and I was sat there talking to him.
30:39I was thinking how lucky am I to be kind of sharing.
30:42I was the first person he spoke to afterwards.
30:44And the 4-1 in 2004 and all these great, great occasions.
30:50So, yeah.
30:51Well, actually, the 4-1, I had a broken collarbone.
30:53I don't know how that happened.
30:54But I was playing Southampton, wasn't it, against Yeko.
30:57So, yeah.
31:00But, yeah, it's just, yeah, as I said, probably waffling on a bit much.
31:04But, yeah, it's etched in history and very special memories for all Pompey fans, not just myself.
31:10And hopefully they've got some, another bright one to look forward to and reflect on after this weekend.
31:17Definitely.
31:18Here's hoping there's plenty of seven and eight-year-olds whose days will be, yeah.
31:24They're doing to come too long.
31:25They'll be picking up the newspaper on Monday, will they?
31:28I think those days are gone.
31:29Pick up your iPod or your laptop and read the news headlines then.
31:34Yeah, no, definitely.
31:35Things have definitely changed since you were a kid then.
31:38But here, Jory, thank you so much.
31:40Thank you for your time.
31:42Thank you all for watching.
31:43Here's hoping for a Pompey victory at St. Mary's on Sunday.
31:46You can get all the latest, get all the developments in the head and all the results and reaction afterwards on pushback.uk.
31:53Thank you again for watching and goodbye.
31:55Bye!
31:56Bye!
31:58Bye!
31:58Bye!
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