Founded: 1898
Nickname: Pompey
Honours: Football League First Division (first tier) Champions: 1948/49, 1949/50 Football League First Division (second tier) Champions: 2002/03 Football League Third Division (third tier) Champions: 1923/24, 1961/62, 1982/83 Football League Two (fourth tier) Champions: 2016/17 FA Cup -Winners: 1939, 2008

Happy Birthday to the Cobblers!
check out our home page to see loads of articles as we CELEBRATE 124 years!

Portsmouth Football Club were founded in 1898 and the club have always played at Fratton Park.

The oldest stand still in use is the South Stand, built in the 1920s and designed by Archibald Leitch. It houses the dressing rooms, boardroom and offices and is the heartbeat of the stadium.

Pompey were promoted to the top flight for the first time in 1927 and reached two FA Cup finals before winning the trophy with a 4-1 victory over Wolves in 1939. In 2012 the Blues were relegated to League One, dropping out of the top two divisions for the first time since 1983, and fell into the bottom tier a year later.

In March 2019, Pompey won their first Football League Trophy, defeating Sunderland at Wembley Stadium 2-2 (5-4 on penalties).

Storylines – Portsmouth

We look at some storylines leading up to this afternoons game.

Northampton 2 Plymouth 0- League One

Ryan Watson scored either side of half-time – Northampton’s first home goals of 2021 – to lift the Cobblers off the bottom of the League One table.

Luke Jephcott had the game’s first big chance when denied by Jonathan Mitchell in the 12th minute before Michael Cooper parried Mickel Miller’s cross-cum-shot.

Cooper thwarted the same man later in the half but he could do nothing about the opening goal just before half-time. Ryan Edmondson took down a long free-kick and teed up Watson, who drilled home a low shot off a post from 20 yards.

Plymouth had almost total control of the ball in the second period but they had a mountain to climb when Watson scored his second midway through the half, turning in from close range following a scramble in the box.

The visitors flooded men forward but rarely threatened and their misery was compounded in stoppage time when Sam Woods saw red for a poor challenge on Jack Sowerby.

Doncaster 2 Portsmouth 1- League One

Goals from Reece James and Fejiri Okenabirhie ensured the 37-year-old got off to the perfect start after replacing Darren Moore on Monday, with Rovers ending a run of five games without a victory.

John Marquis volleyed a goal back for Portsmouth deep in stoppage time but Rovers held on.

Energetic Doncaster made a strong start to the game and took the lead just 12 minutes in. John Bostock played a wonderful through ball which James collected before clipping a low finish beyond Craig MacGillivray.

Portsmouth emerged strongly for the second half but struggled to create clear-cut opportunities. Harvey White went closest for the visitors with a powerful 20-yard drive.

Rovers doubled their advantage with 20 minutes left when Okenabirhie lashed a shot into the roof of the net from a tight angle.

Marquis netted four minutes into added time and it took a brilliant block from James as Portsmouth came close to an equaliser with the last kick of the game.

27/10/20 Portsmouth 4 The Cobblers 0

Ronan Curtis and Marcus Harness were also on target as Kenny Jackett’s men picked up their third win in eight days.

The hosts had a big let-off in the 16th minute when Ryan Watson blazed wide after finding himself clean through.

Marquis made Watson pay for his miss six minutes before half-time with a poacher’s finish after Ryan Williams had seen his initial shot saved.

Striker Marquis had a chance to double his tally two minutes later but was denied by Northampton goalkeeper Jonathan Mitchell.

It took Marquis just two minutes of the second half to find the net with another follow-up effort after Mitchell could only parry Curtis’ header.

Curtis put the game out of Northampton’s reach in the 50th minute with a perfectly-placed strike from the edge of the penalty area.

Harness’ header from an Andy Cannon cross seven minutes from time completed the rout.

Last 6 meetings

Played	Won	Draw	Lost	F	A
65	17	12	36	66	126

Biggest Win	17/03/1923 – 3-0 – Div 3 South – County Ground
Biggest Loss	02/04/20 -6-0 – Southern League – Fratton Park
First-Ever Game	15/02/1902 – 5-1 L – Southern League – Fratton Park

Played for Both – Portsmouth

Ahead of Saturdays game v Portsmouth, we look at some of the many players that have played for both the Cobblers and Portsmouth. How can you remember?

Read Article

Andy Haines has been appointed Match Referee for Saturday’s Sky Bet League One match V Portsmouth at the PTS Academy Stadium.

The official, who has been involved in the professional game since 2007, Off the pitch, Haines is a project manager for EDF Energy and also interestingly once faced a 4,000-plus mile dash from a summer holiday in the Dominican Republic for his initial interview as an official back in 2005.

So far this Season he has managed 22 games with 9 Leauge one games with 3 red cards.

His latest Cobblers Game

Date	Comp	Match	Y	R
24/11/20	League One	Rochdale 1 Northampton 1	1	0
23/11/19	Leauge Two	Northampton 2 Grimsby 0	5	0
21/09/19	Leauge Two	Northampton 2 Crawley 2	2	0
09/03/19	Leauge Two	Northampton 2 Exeter 1	2	0
14/11/17	FA Cup	Scunthorpe 1 Northampton 0	2	0

His latest Portsmouth Games

Date	Comp	Match	Y	R
12/0711/20	League One	Ipswich 2 Portsmouth 3	4	0
01/10/19	League One	Doncaster 1 Portsmouth 2	2	0
25/08/18	League One	Doncaster 0 Portsmouth 0	5	1
28/04/18	League One	Bury 1 Portsmouth 0	3	0

In every home match day program I contribute two articles, Played for both and On this day. In this weekends match program I look back on how the club began 124 years ago.

All season ticket holders will have access to watch the Plymouth Argyle game on Tuesday on iFollow.

To check….

1. Log in to iFollow
2. Click your name in the top navigation bar to get to the ‘My Account page’
3. Click the + sign next to ‘Purchased Packages’blob:https://cobblerspast.com/af529e23-bbd8-4c3c-8d34-8f632e766e91

If you have access, you will see ‘Season Ticket – Northampton Town’ listed here.

If you experience any issues, please email ifollow@ntfc.co.uk

Thank you for your support.

Non season ticket holders can purchase the game for £10.

Since 1977, Northampton Town have lost 10 of the last 14 league clashes with Portsmouth (W3 D1), including a 0-4 defeat in the reverse fixture earlier this season.
Northampton are looking to win back-to-back home league games against Portsmouth for the very first time having won the last such clash in September 2017.
Northampton Town have one win from their last five home matches in League One (D2 L2). However, the win was achieved during their most recent match against Plymouth Argyle (2-0).
Portsmouth have just two losses in their last seven away matches in League One (W5). Both the losses were during their last three matches in League One (W1).

Stats	Northampton	Plymouth
Games Played	32	31
Goals	26	48
Shots on target	102	139
Shooting accuracy	42.70%	46.50%
Goals conceded	49	30
Clean sheets	8	12
Yellow cards	62	53
Red Cards	3	1

Happy Birthday to the Cobblers

Northampton Town Football Club was formed ON THIS DAY 124 years ago.

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