Pompey fans seek Fratton positivity

Members of Pompey's remarkable travelling faithful have called for the recreation of the Fratton roar in their team's time of need.
Pompey had a tough time at York but kept the backing of their great fans. Picture: Joe PeplerPompey had a tough time at York but kept the backing of their great fans. Picture: Joe Pepler
Pompey had a tough time at York but kept the backing of their great fans. Picture: Joe Pepler

An away following of 841 were at York to witness an abject Blues display as automatic promotion aspirations were emphatically laid to rest.

However, despite the 3-1 humbling from a club destined for non-league, Pompey’s fans refused to turn on their side.

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Instead they remained positive in their support, while around 20 stayed singing long beyond the final whistle before being removed by Bootham Crescent stewards.

Paul Cook remarked on the unwavering backing during his post-match interviews.

Play-off rivals Wycombe visit on Saturday, with the Blues tottering following successive league defeats.

Harry Haskett, from Paulsgrove, was among those who remained after the match and has issued a supporter rallying cry.

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He said: ‘York was probably one of the worst performances we have seen this season, even after we scored nothing changed.

‘We weren’t too happy with it but kept singing, getting behind the team.

‘It was a sizeable away following and we could have turned on them, yet very few people did. We just kept on going for the team.

‘At the end of the day, they have given us our best season for years. I really appreciate what Paul Cook has done and also appreciate the effort the players have put in more often than not.

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‘There is still a lot to play for and let’s go again Saturday. If we beat Wycombe then the play-offs are secure and that is in the mind of most of the supporters at the moment.

‘The players will feel a lot of pressure and it’s up to us fans to remove that and allow them to do what they do.’

From looking upwards, now Cook’s side are glancing below at potential play-off challengers.

They remain five points clear of eighth-placed Wycombe, while one point ahead of an AFC Wimbledon side they face next Tuesday.

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They can ill-afford stretching what is now a two-game losing sequence.

Also at Bootham Crescent was John Westwood, who added: ‘Yes there has been inconsistency, but you can see the progress we are making.

‘On Tuesday night I think the players were still hungover from Plymouth, it knocked them for six.

‘But fans that appreciate football can see what is happening, where Cookie is taking us and where we could be.

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‘Time and time again you can see when the fans get behind Pompey it raises the team. Negativity does not help them at all.

‘The York stewards were taken aback by us, apparently they don’t usually get supporters singing when their team are losing, normally they turn on them.

‘You would have thought we had won the game – but that is Pompey supporters.’