We get to know a little more about MelbournePompey.
1 – Vital Pompey username?
MelbournePompey.
2 – Where do you come from/where do you currently live?
Born in Fareham in 1966 but have lived in Australia since 1985.
3 – How long have you been a Vital Pompey member?
Brand new! But I’ve been enjoying your site for a couple of years. (Written late March 2008)
4 – What do you think of Vital Pompey? Be brutally honest!
It’s the best online site on Pompey, I think. Opinionated and passionate, without being over-the-top (I think your restraint influences the restraint in posts), normally pretty up-to-date, and your match reports give a good idea of how the game went, how each player went, and what it was like to be there. A helpful guide during the transfer window madness too.
5 – How did you find out about Vital Pompey?
5 – How did you find out about Vital Pompey?
Just searching the web.
6 – When did you first watch Pompey live – not on box unless this is the only way you have been able to see them? Not necessarily at Fortress Fratton though.
Used to watch them as a teenager with my dad (who also watched them as a kid) in the side stands, and then with friends at the Fratton End (after a pint of Pompey Special at the Pompey Arms – did I get the pub’s name right? Not there any more, is it?) Pompey were in the Third & Fourth division back then under Bobby Campbell, and I remember watching Billy Rafferty and Alan Biley up front. And Vince Hilaire.
7 – How often do you get to watch Pompey?
I have to rely on cable TV here in Australia, which has shown a lot of the games in the past two seasons – but of course in the middle of the night! (I don’t know whether watching Spurs knock two in with ten minutes to go at 1.05am feels any worse than watching it happen at 2.05pm, but sometimes it feels like it! The Man Utd FA Cup was amazing, though.) I flew back a few years ago and took my nephew, who’s now in his 20s and still lives in the UK, to a game against Charlton. Pompey lost, but it was great to be back at Fratton Park.
8 – Who is your favourite Pompey Player – current and/or former?
Former – Mark Hateley or Neil Webb, both of whom were with us all too short a time. Classic tall centre forward, with pace and skill, and a stylish midfielder who always looked like he could go all the way to the top.
Current – David James. Phenomenal stopper. He’s a big reason we’re where we are now, I think. I think Diarra’s a class act too. Good signing, if we can keep him.
9 – What is you favourite Pompey moment?
A few years ago, when supporting Pompey was for passionate masochists, I would have said Noel Blake’s own goal from a back pass when Alan Knight was in goal. Knocked it back without even looking to see if the keeper was in the goalmouth. And he wasn’t. We howled with anger at the time but I’ve told the story of this (as I remember it, with embellishments) several times since and it gets better every time! But now, given our unexpected success of recent years, I would have to say the recent FA Cup win against Man Utd.
10 – What are your realistic hopes for Pompey in the future?
FA Cup is in sight, isn’t it? That would be great. I think a top 7 finish would be a great accomplishment this season. Europe would be nice, but we’re still building so it could wait another year, although qualification isn’t going to get any easier. These are the best days since the team’s heyday 50-odd years ago (which my dad recalls), Redknapp is the best manager in my lifetime, and the current squad is the strongest (would like to see a genuine speedy winger, however – would like to see what Harry could do with Aaron Lennon or Shaun Wright-Phillips). Having seen this club play in Fourth Division mudbaths, I’m just really enjoying it. A new, larger ground with better facilities and easier access would top it all off and mean the Mandaric/Gaydamak/Redknapp legacy continues into the future.
Thanks for the opportunity!
PLAY UP POMPEY!
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If anyone else wants to answer the questions simply drop me an email as a request, or with your answers on portsmouth@vitalfootball.co.uk and I will make it happen.
Others to complete so far are:
pompeyrug … paultsmouth … The Rabbi … Owenspompey … Pompey4me … pompeycarpet … storagematt … linvoyforengland … NinjaTim … CharlieChimes … eastneydave … pompeygray … Chix … Lysimachus … PompeyGleamer … steaming … plymouth graham … Toronto4pompey … tracyc … Blarmy … NorthStandDan … UKTony … pentonpompey … whitestones … stillthewhizz … 007 … Highland_Pompey … Midge … Tantona … knocker … jbaker … blueballoo2000 … ChrisW … NK19 … imazav … frattonaussie … pompeywebb … tommo3146
