The most important thing YOU need as a fan before the season starts is a guide to the team, games and other useful advice. Well here it is – no glossy mags for us just the Toast team saying it like it is. All you need for the much awaited 2013/14 season in League Two, including a look at the Pompey players, the fixtures and advice on dos and don`ts while at the game.
This will be of particular interest to new fans or indeed any of the 170,000 on the clubs database!! So as we look forward to watching Dave Kitson lead out his Oxford side let`s get the lowdown.
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1 Phil Smith – England – Goalkeeper. Originally signed for Pompey last season but never made the first team. Born in Harrow 14 December 1979, Phil was a regular at Swindon for six seasons having started in non-league football. Wants to make the first team birth his own.
2 Yassin Moutaouakil – France – Right Back signed from Hayes and Yeading in January 2013. The former France U21 International had drifted out of the league after two seasons at Charlton. Affectionately known as Rentokil on the North Terrace.
3 Bondz N`Gala – England – Centre back – former West Ham youngster has signed a short term deal as we go to publication. Previously at Plymouth, Yeovil and Stevenage Borough. We assume he will be given the number three shirt.
4 Danny East – England – Defender – recent signing from Hull City. Youngster played on loan in League Two last season at Northampton and Gillingham.
5 Joe Devera – England – Centre Back – surprisingly released by Swindon in the summer Pompey snapped him up ahead of other suitors. Devera had been Paulo Di Canio`s first signing for the Robins after a successful spell at Barnet.
6 Sonny Bradley – England – Defender – recent signing from Hull City. Youngster played on loan in League Two last season at Aldershot Town. Giant Central Defender at 1.96m.
7 Andy Barcham – England – Winger – former Spurs youngster has in the last five years had spells at Gillingham and Scunthorpe. Despite playing wide has an eye for a goal and in 2011/12 was Scunny`s leading scorer.
8 Romain Padovani – France – Central midfield – signed from Monaco in the summer. Tall and elegant playmaker looks to impress on his first season in English football. Started well having netted twice in pre-season friendlies.
9 David Connolly – Republic of Ireland – Striker – Portsmouth are Connolly`s ninth league club in a career stretching back almost twenty years. Capped over forty times by the Republic, the London born striker will be looking to add to his impressive tally of nearly two hundred career goals.
10 Tom Craddock – England – Striker – released by Oxford in 2013, Tom signed for Pompey on a two year deal. Former Middlesbrough trainee had a successful spell at Luton before moving to the Kassam Stadium.
11 Ricky Holmes – England – Winger – Ricky was great success in the Conference South with Chelmsford City between 2006 and 2010 without attracting any firm offers. The Essex club released him in 2010 and Barnet snapped him up. He spent some of his time at Underhill playing as a striker just behind Izale McCleod. Another wide man with an eye for a goal.
13 Johannes Ertl – Austria – Midfield and Captain – Johnny was with Pompey for most of last term and after a dodgy start – putting through his own net on debut – became areal fan`s favourite. Johnny has seven Austrian caps from his time at Sturm Graz and Austria Wien. Football league experience came at Crystal Palace and Sheffield United.
16 Simon Ferry – Scotland – Central Midfield – another ex-Swindon player snapped up by Pompey recently. A product of the Celtic youth scheme he played for his home country at U19 level. Joined Swindon after loan spell and won League Two title with them in 2011/12. Seen by many as becoming a firm fan`s favourite.
18 Ryan Bird – England – Striker – scored forty five goals last season for Burnham as they won the Southern League division one title. Pompey decided to give him a trial and offered him a one year deal. Has plenty to prove but has the knack of being in the right place at the right time..
21 Ashley Harris – England – forward – local product who made his debut in 2011/12. 2013/14 will be a big season for Ash.
22 Adam Webster – England – defender – another youth product, who has found his way into the England U19 squad. Can play anywhere in the back line.
23 Patrick Agyemang – Ghana – striker – a player with the knack of getting the ball down and involving others around him. Widely experienced including Premier League this is Pat`s first season in the bottom tier. Thirty three in September, the burly striker started his league career with the crazy gang at Wimbledon.
24 Nick Awford – England – midfield – son of Academy boss Andy. Made his league debut on the final day of last season.
25 John Sullivan – England – goalkeeper – is another local boy but John started his career at neighbours Brighton. John did a tour of South London, Millwall, Charlton and Wimbledon before joining Pompey. Along with Smith will contest the Number One shirt.
30 Jack Maloney England – winger – made the breakthrough to the first team squad last season and the Isle of Wight youngster will be looking for more opportunities this term.
34 Dan Butler – England – left back – another Isle of Wight lad who made the breakthrough last year. Lots to learn but great potential.
35 Jed Wallace – England – winger – another England U19 cap who netted six times last term. Needs to avoid second season syndrome and sign a new contract.
The fixtures…
August
Sat Aug 3: Oxford United (H)
Sat Aug 10: Accrington Stanley (A)
Sat Aug 17: Morecambe (H)
Sat Aug 24: Mansfield Town (A)
Sat Aug 31 Chesterfield (H)
September
Sat Sept 7: Cheltenham Town (A)
Sat Sept 14: Burton Albion (A)
Sat Sept 21: Fleetwood Town (H)
Sat Sept 28: York City (A)
October
Sat Oct 5: Rochdale (H)
Sat Oct 12: Plymouth Argyle (A)
Sat Oct 19: Bury (H)
Tue Oct 22: Wycombe Wanderers (H)
Sat Oct 26: Torquay United (A)
November
Sat Nov 2: Exeter City (H)
Sat Nov 16: AFC Wimbledon (A)
Sat Nov 23: Scunthorpe United (H)
Tue Nov 26: Southend United (H)
Sat Nov 30: Hartlepool United (A)
December
Sat Dec 14: Newport County (H)
Sat Dec 21 Bristol Rovers (A)
Thu Dec 26: Dagenham & Redbridge (H)
Sun Dec 29: Northampton Town (H)
January
Wed Jan 1: Southend United (A)
Sat Jan 4: Accrington Stanley (H)
Sat Jan 11: Oxford United (A)
Sat Jan 18 Mansfield Town (H)
Sat Jan 25 Morecambe (A)
Tue Jan 28: Wycombe Wanderers (A)
February
Sat Feb 1: Torquay United (H)
Sat Feb 8: Exeter City (A)
Sat Feb 15: AFC Wimbledon (H)
Sat Feb 22: Scunthorpe United (A)
March
Sat Mar 1: Chesterfield (A)
Sat Mar 8: Cheltenham Town (H)
Tue Mar 11: Burton Albion (H)
Sat Mar 15: Fleetwood Town (A)
Sat Mar 22: York City (H)
Tue Mar 25: Rochdale (A)
Sat Mar 29: Newport County (A)
April
Sat Apr 5: Hartlepool United (H)
Sat Apr 12: Dagenham & Redbridge (A)
Sat Apr 19: Bristol Rovers (H)
Mon Apr 21: Northampton Town (A)
Sat Apr 26: Bury (A)
May
Sat May 3: Plymouth Argyle (H)
Dos and Don`ts
DO visit the Rutland Arms in Francis Avenue for a pint or two before the game. This is not an advertisement for the pub but an invitation to meet up with the crazy Vital Pompey gang and their hangers on. Great banter and planning trips etc, plus Chix and Dave talking about Pompey games in the nineteenth century.
DO buy your tickets in advance. If you are not a season ticket holder it is wise to buy in advance to avoid queues and possible disappointment. With the ground capacity currently set at 18,217 there will be pressure on seats for some games. Of course we await the clubs plans for the Milton End seating when the smaller clubs visit e.g. Morecambe on 17 August. They will not sell all of the visitor`s allocation and the remaining seats need to be made available.
DO ensure that when you have left Fratton Park that you have lost your voice. No point in going otherwise.
DO remember that every penny you spend at the ground will go to the club – gone are the catering contractors and corporate providers. Even shirt sales will provide a much larger income.
DON`T film parts of the game on your phone and then upload on youtube. Why not? Because it is boring!!!
DON`T expect Pompey to win every week. There are some good sides in League Two and others will treat a visit to Fratton Park as their cup final. Sky Sports pundit says ‘Pompey should canter to the title without breaking into a sweat` – DON`T believe it!
DON`T forget to buy a programme! When I was a lad I would sit on the edge of the pitch and read my tiny programme from cover to cover – didn`t take too long mostly adverts. Then I would manage to get it covered in the orange sand on the track before taking it home and neatly filing it away.
Well things have changed; with WiFi technology due at the stadium soon the club are using innovative technology from tomorrow onwards. Let Micah Hall take up the story ‘We are absolutely delighted to bring you this cutting edge technology. We are delighted to announce that this season`s matchday programme will be completely interactive using augmented reality technology.
The innovative development comes courtesy of our exciting new partnership with Navigate Digital and ‘Blippar`. Fans are encouraged to download the Blippar app before Saturday`s game against Oxford from the AppStore, via GooglePlay or BlackBerry World and then launch the app when they have bought their programme.
Pages within the programme that carry the Blippar logo, can then be scanned to launch exciting video content.
All supporters are reminded that until such time that the stadium can offer full Wi-Fi connectivity, the availability of the content will depend on network availability. However, the content can always be viewed when your mobile or tablet device is connected to a Wi-Fi network outside of the stadium.
‘We felt our programme for the Charlton and Rayo friendlies was our best ever, but this one takes the publication to a whole new level. Blippable content is planned to run throughout the programme for every home league game this season, so make sure you pick up a copy every match.`
Where do I file them then Mike??
See you Sunday for Toast and enjoy the game!!
PUP
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