Twenty four hours to go and here is the last Toast of the present series. We sum up hopefully all the things you want to know and some things you probably won’t.
The Yanks are coming
Great news, we have just heard that 50 ex-pat members of the USA Supporters Club are flying in for the final. They intend being at the Ibis hotel or Silverspoons according to their Webmaster Robert Thompson in Little Rock, Arkansas. Which if memory serves me is Bill Clinton’s neck of the woods.
Have a great time lads.
Pompey recent Cup facts
Pompey have scored in every FA Cup game in the 21st Century!! Last time they failed to score was in the 3rd Round defeat at Sunderland in December 1999.
But Pompey have not scored three goals in a tie since the 3-2 win at Leeds United in the 5th Round of 1997.
Meanwhile back in the City
The news on the streets is tickets were selling in the pubs and clubs for around £100 last night. We know we cannot stop this but BE CAREFUL. Check the ticket has Portsmouth on the bottom right to ensure you are the right end of the ground.
Remember the tickets issued to the Lincolnshire FA have also been cancelled, as they went missing. Should you be sold one of these you will not be allowed into the ground.
The City is slowly turning blue with flags, posters everywhere. What will the City be like when the game is going on we wonder? It would be nice for anyone at home to post photos so those of us going can see what we left behind.
Parade
There will be a victory parade IF Pompey win with the Open top buses leaving Fratton Bridge at 3pm on Sunday. The route follows Winston Churchill Avenue and the Terraces before coming along the seafront to a giant stage on Southsea Common next to the War Memorial – due there at 4pm. Free music will be played on the Common all afternoon.
All roads on the route will be closed for three hours, so walk or use Public Transport is the advice.
If Pompey lose the team will travel by coach to the common arriving again at 4pm.
Weather
Yes storagematt was right in his comment to Toast #3 it’s going to ****** rain. The forecast has not really changed light rain and 14°C. Not great but it will not stop us enjoying our day, will it?
Team News
If you believe the News then Papa Bouba Diop, Pedro Mendes and Sean Davis are battling for the last spot in the side. Toast favourite Pedro has the experience of a Champions League final don’t forget. The players will find out the team at a meeting on Saturday morning.
Cardiff also have a fully fit squad to select from.
Oddities
There is a Southampton pub that plans to show the video of the 1976 final tomorrow. Just so they can see a Pompey boy score the winner no doubt.
One fan we hear is travelling to the final by Helicopter. Must have money to burn we say.
And finally..
Are you feeling nervous? Imagine how the players are feeling then. Fans are telling us they cannot eat, sleep or think etc as the build up continues. Eastneydave, the veteran of well over 1000 Pompey games is a gibbering wreck at the moment
Toast hopes everyone has a wonderful day wherever they are. You will remember tomorrow for the rest of your life so make the most of it. Let us cheer on our team by singing OUR songs not the usual round of anti-scummer rubbish. They are not there, so forget them. The players need your support, so give it to them 100%!
Toast hopes you have enjoyed this spring series of 24 editions, we think – Chix said we wouldn’t make 25 – and we are taking a break but will return during the summer months with occasional slices, after all who needs Toast in the summer?
Play up Pompey!
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.
