Here we are then 24 hours to go and here is your final slice of Semi Final Toast.
The Weather
Not good. After a spring like week the weather will change just in time for the big game. So the forecast is feeling colder with showers, Maximum 10ºC. Shame but Sunday we are promised wintry showers with the chance of snow!!
What it means to me #4
Well I could leave this section blank as I was expecting a late rush but it did not materialise. So I thought write your own and here it is.
Every schoolboy dreams of Wembley, yes I was young once and boy did we dream. On any piece of wasteland or even in the street young kids would play their own Cup Final. Whether it beat Spurs, Man United, Leeds etc you would all be a different player. The Wembley Cup Final was the only live television game of the season and was to all kids the absolute highlight.
I first saw Pompey play in 1959 and went in the very early 60`s when I could afford it. Then from 1964 I went nearly 30 years without missing a home game. In that time I also attended over 200 away games and have seen Pompey play on over half of the League grounds.
The highlight of those early days was going to two games in the 1966 World Cup; France in the first round with the school and then Argentina in the quarter final. I was only 14 at the time but a group of friends, knowing my love and knowledge of football asked me to book tickets in advance for an England game. I looked at the draw and decided that England would win their group and play either West Germany or Argentina in the quarters at Wembley. They all accepted by judgement and I collect all the 7 shillings and 6 pences and sent off for fourteen tickets. I then had to get them all there and back safely which I accomplished without losing too many!
On leaving the stadium I was talking to a friend who asked, would you like to come to a Cup Final here, I replied only if Pompey are playing. Well I have stuck to that and although this is ‘only’ a Semi Final it has been worth the wait. Worth all the trips to Bolton, Hull, Boston, Blackpool et al. Worth all the relegations and multitude of disappointments along the way.
So now I am only 24 hours away from ending that 42 year old pledge I made to a friend I have not seen for most of those years. To me the occasion will be of prime importance the result secondary but of course I want a win. The 1992 Semis were a very special memory but this will be something else. It would be lovely to go back again and again in the years to come.
This will be special as well as I am going with my wife and son to make it a family occasion to remember. My son was born when Pompey were in the Fourth Division so to him it is the culmination of a long and very slow rise to the top – of course he fleeted with other clubs along the way as all kids do but born in St Mary’s Hospital it is in his blood.
Now all I want for is to hear the Pompey Chimes – the oldest football song in the world – ring around the home of football. That will bring a tear to the eye, no doubt about it.
Anyway enough of my rubbish.
Cameras
The FA regulations 3.4 do not allow the taking of cameras into the stadium. You can use your phones though so click some snaps and put them on the albums on the site for us all to share. If you are unsure as to how to do that send them to Rug or me and we can put them on for you.
Injury news
Pompey are keeping quiet on the injury front and so there in no news to report. Noe Pamarot and Linvoy are both out and Jermain Defoe is cup tied. Everyone else is in contention IF they are fit.
The Daily Mail this morning said Herman and Utaka are ‘Doubtful’ but what to they know?
Mundane
Just to remind you all we have a very important Premier League game on Tuesday when we are back in London to play the Hammers (k.o. 19.45)
Toast
Can I offer special thanks to Steve from Basingstoke, Jimbo, Pompey4me and of course Rug for their contributions to this week’s Toast specials and I hope to have more guest writers in the future. Mostly I hope YOU have found it fun and informative.
There will be no Toast this Sunday as I have been given the week off by Rug and we are pretty low on bread!! I have plenty of material for the weeks ahead including My Worst XI, Stanley Matthews, Give us a ‘P’ and of course birthdays galore but keeping sending me your ideas.
Enjoy the day wherever you are!! And remember the words to the song because some forget – Play up Pompey, Pompey play up! And sing it wherever you are, whether it be in Australia, Canada, Iraq or Wembley.
Dave
Written by eastneydave.
The views within this article are the views of the individual who wrote and submitted this piece, sometimes solely theirs. They are not necessarily shared by the Vital Pompey Site Journalists.
