Pompey's 12th man needed again
Andy Awford is looking for a united front on Saturday to push Pompey closer to the League Two safety line.
The Blues hosts Hartlepool looking to build on last week’s vital victory at Newport.
There have been several occasions in the past when players and fans have inspired each other – when the former stood up to be counted after a poor run of form and when the latter were behind them from first whistle until last.
Not only did Pompey win on each of the below occasions – the first of which Awford played in – it inspired them to unbeaten sequences that helped their survival bids.
Pompey 1 Stockport 0
February 17 1998
Division One safety was not secured until a final day victory at Bradford, but there is little doubt that this home fixture against Stockport provided the impetus.
A run of seven straight games without a win had left Pompey deep in relegation trouble, but Steve Claridge – on loan from Leicester – scored the all-important goal on 15 minutes.
But there was then a non-stop wall of noise from the 8,662 crowd, which proved just as decisive as the Blues held out.
Alan Ball’s side went on to win four of their next five games and the Fratton faithful began to believe their side could escape the drop.
Pompey 1 Southampton 0
March 21 2004
After failing to win any of their previous seven top-flight games, Yakubu’s 68th minute goal was enough to settle this south coast derby.
That provided the spark for Harry Redknapp’s side to go on an eight-match unbeaten run, which included victories over Blackburn, Birmingham, Manchester United and Leeds.
The 2-1 triumph at Elland Road guaranteed safety with four games to spare in the Blues’ first season in the Premier League.
But it was beating their bitter rivals that meant Pompey fans started to believe.
But it was beating their bitter rivals that meant Pompey fans started to believe.
Pompey 2 Manchester City 1
March 11 2006
One point form a run of eight games meant that Pompey appeared odds-on for Premier League relegation.
Then Pedro Mendes struck at the death to beat Manchester City and the Blues didn’t look back.
The Portuguese midfielder’s goal left David James rooted to the spot and left the Fratton faithful delirious.
Pompey lost just one of the next eight matches and secured survival on the penultimate weekend of the season with a 2-1 victory at Wigan.