Apologies for the late preview, I have been suffering network problems!
Portsmouth Football Club
Home: Fratton Park
Capacity: 20, 288
Nickname: Pompey
Rivals: Southampton
The South coast club are not just fighting for Championship survival, but for survival it’s self. The 2008 F.A. Cup winner’s financial problems have been well documented forcing the club to sell their best players including the likes of Peter Crouch, Glen Johnson, Sylvain Distin and Niko Kranjčar. The continuous change of owners left Pompey eventually been the first ever club to enter administration while in the Premiership. Since the Cup triumph Portsmouth have changed managers 5 times with Michael Appleton taking charge after former manager Steve Cotterill leaving to manage Nottingham Forest in October. The continued struggle financially has left Pompey with only 21 players currently at the club, with Liam Lawrence, Hayden Mullins, Erik Huseklepp and goalkeeper Stephen Henderson loaned out as the club looked to save money on wages. Even with these measures time will tell whether Portsmouth Football Club will still be around next season.
This Seasons Top Scorers
Norris - 8
Huseklepp - 6
Varney - 5
The Last 6
|
Home |
D |
L |
D |
W |
W |
L |
|
Away |
D |
L |
L |
L |
L |
D |
Last Time Out
Team: Millwall (H)
Result: 0 – 1
Scores: Kane (37)
3 to Watch
Player name: David Norris
Date of birth: 22 Feb 1981
Nationality: English
Position: Midfielder
Squad number: 19
Scoring a great equaliser that would have been good enough to win any game never mind winning a point in the derby against Southampton last Saturday that finished 2 – 2. Pompey’s top goal scorer arrived in the summer on a free from Ipswich Town after the player and club could not agree on the length of a new contract. Making 118 appearances in 4 seasons with the Tractor Boys, Norris started out at Boston United playing 23 times in his two years with the club before an unsuccessful spell at Bolton. After a year he was loaned out to Hull and then Plymouth who he signed for in 2002, spending 6 years at Home Park and making 243 appearances during there rise up the leagues which saw him more to Ipswich in the January transfer window in 2008.
This Season
|
|
Apps |
As sub |
Goals |
Yellow |
Red |
|
Total |
38 |
1 |
8 |
6 |
1 |
|
League |
36 |
1 |
8 |
6 |
1 |
|
FA Cup |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
League Cup |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Player name: Luke Varney
Date of Birth: 28 Sept 1982
Nationality: English
Position: Striker
Squad number: 11
Picked up by Crewe Alexandra in 2003 from non-league Quorn F.C. Varney spent four years with Crewe playing 108 games scoring 35 times, 25 of them coming in his last season with the club in the 2006/07 campaign before making a £2 million move to Charlton where he wasn’t able to continue his scoring run only managing 10 goals in 61 appearances. A £1 million move to Derby came in the January of 2009 but was then sent on loan to Sheffield Wednesday in March to try and regain his fitness. A second loan spell at the Owls followed before spending last season on loan at Blackpool in their 1 season in the premiership. Moving to Portsmouth this last August for a fee of £750,000 and has
scored 5 times for the strugglers, 2 of them coming against Rovers back at Fratton Park.
This Season
|
|
Apps |
As sub |
Goals |
Yellow |
Red |
|
Total |
27 |
2 |
5 |
5 |
1 |
|
League |
26 |
2 |
5 |
5 |
1 |
|
FA Cup |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
League Cup |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Player name: Greg Halford
Date of Birth: 8 Dec 1984
Nationality: English
Position: Defender
Squad number: 15
Naturally a defender at right back or centre, the versatile Halford came thought Colchester’s youth system before he signed professional in 2002. Named young player of the year in the 2004/05 season he continued his progression while gaining a reputation for having an effective long throw. Spells with Reading, Sunderland, Charlton and Sheffield Untied before joining Wolves in 2009 where he made 16 appearances before he was loaned out to Pompey last season playing 37 times after which he signed a three year contact with the clubs agreeing a fee believed to be around £1 million.
This Season
|
|
Apps |
As sub |
Goals |
Yellow |
Red |
|
Total |
40 |
0 |
4 |
9 |
0 |
|
League |
38 |
0 |
4 |
7 |
0 |
|
FA Cup |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
League Cup |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
Prediction
Ian Street: Rovers 2 – 2 Portsmouth
Editor: Rovers 0-1 Portsmouth