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Title |
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Saints v Pompey - A History of Unrelenting Rivalry |
Author |
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Dave Juson |
Publisher |
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Hagiology |
Year |
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2004 |
ISBN |
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0953447456 |
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Synopsis :
This book consists mainly of match reports, compiled by Dave Juson, on the first 209 meetings (from September 1899 to March 2004) between the South Coast rivals.
If it's qualitative evidence of the 'rivalry' that you’re looking for, though, there is plenty of it in the match reports from the Echo and the Portsmouth papers, mainly the Mail and the News.
Two competing themes run through the accounts:
- The sportsmanship of neighbours, representing the good game of Hampshire. aggro, on and off the field.
- The 'county neighbours' theme is sustained not only by the local sportswriters but also by the cartoonists (much drawn-upon in this book) and the fans: the chapter written by fans includes several examples of supporters who want their neighbours to do well.
In sum, the book offers a range of viewpoints on what this South Coast rivalry has meant for the two clubs and their followers.
Saints fan, Clay Aldworth, and Pompey fan, Barry Bendel, have collaborated with the usual Hagiology team of researchers to produce this comprehensive book, with lots of illustrations both on the results and the rivalry.
A whole chapter is devoted to those men who have featured for both clubs.
Alan Ball, the only man to have managed both Pompey and Saints (well, until Harry Redknapp, a few weeks after the book’s publication) has written the foreword.
Our verdict :
What a masterpiece! I can't of anything missing in this 275 paged book.
After the introductions, Part I deals with all 209 matches played between Portsmouth and Southampton. All matches come with a text to put the match in perspective, the necessary statistics and pictures.
Part II of the book starts with a chapter dealing with all players that played for both clubs. Part II is also the part where the fans give their view and the final pages are reserved for the all time statistics.
It couldn't have been more complete. I have to mention though that it's a shame that the book doesn't have a hardcover as this is a book that you want to keep as nice as possible for many years.
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