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Pompey's new training ground.





Not Andy Naylor

Well-known member
Dec 12, 2007
8,787
Seven Dials
1. be fair, it's better than what they had before. I believe they used to train on the University playing fields in Southampton or, to be more exact, Eastleigh.

The reality is even funnier and more tinpot.

All the time they were in the Premier League and until relatively recently, they trained at an old school playing field across the road from Eastleigh FC's ground. I used to have to attend press conferences there regularly.

It was technically part of Southampton University, from whom they rented it, but the university still used a plastic pitch for hockey. The Portsmouth players had to stop playing on it if the students needed it. The university's own football pitches and changing rooms about half a mile away were far better, really top-quality. The pitches Portsmouth used were dreadful and regularly waterlogged, the facilities Sunday League standard until they "upgraded" them with a few portakabins. The players' car-park was just a piece of rutted waste ground. We'd always park in Eastleigh's car park.

And the funniest thing of all was that, of course, it was a Saints-supporting area. One day I turned up and the bloke on the gate was a Saints fan I knew who ran a Southampton memorabilia shop in Northam Road, just round the corner from St Mary's. "Anything you want to know, mate?" were his first words. I got lots of decent stories and tips from him.
 




DavidinSouthampton

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jan 3, 2012
16,540
The reality is even funnier and more tinpot.

All the time they were in the Premier League and until relatively recently, they trained at an old school playing field across the road from Eastleigh FC's ground. I used to have to attend press conferences there regularly.

It was technically part of Southampton University, from whom they rented it, but the university still used a plastic pitch for hockey. The Portsmouth players had to stop playing on it if the students needed it. The university's own football pitches and changing rooms about half a mile away were far better, really top-quality. The pitches Portsmouth used were dreadful and regularly waterlogged, the facilities Sunday League standard until they "upgraded" them with a few portakabins. The players' car-park was just a piece of rutted waste ground. We'd always park in Eastleigh's car park.

And the funniest thing of all was that, of course, it was a Saints-supporting area. One day I turned up and the bloke on the gate was a Saints fan I knew who ran a Southampton memorabilia shop in Northam Road, just round the corner from St Mary's. "Anything you want to know, mate?" were his first words. I got lots of decent stories and tips from him.

Living in the area, I did sometimes drive down past that way and see them crossing the road one way or the other, never looking particularly animated or impressive. have also seen some of them in the Gym at Fleming Park - the local Sports Centre - younger kids (equivalent of development squad?) - usually standing around posing doing sweet FA rather than getting stuck-in and doing what they were presumably there for.
 


BHAFC_Pandapops

Citation Needed
Feb 16, 2011
2,844
Never forget...

54.jpg

cheers, [MENTION=189]Wozza[/MENTION]

been looking for this picture for quite a while. Although it's a frankly daft idea, it's interesting viewing.
 








BHAFC_Pandapops

Citation Needed
Feb 16, 2011
2,844
Shame really, Pompey were being rogered quite royally. At least people who are passionate about the club are slowly rebuilding after all that bobbins financial management. Good luck to them.
 




Se20

Banned
Oct 3, 2012
3,981
Portsmouth have announced today they are finally debt free, after paying off £7 mill in the last 18 months.
Great news for their fans who worked tirelessly to get the club re united with the fans :thumbsup:
 



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