South Coast derby

The South Coast Derby is a term used to describe football matches played between Portsmouth Football Club and Southampton Football Club. The term is popular in broadcast media and newspapers.

South Coast derby
LocationHampshire
TeamsPortsmouth
Southampton
First meetingPortsmouth 2–0 Southampton
(6 September 1899 (Friendly))[1]
Latest meetingPortsmouth 0–4 Southampton
(24 September 2019)
Statistics
Meetings total71
Most winsSouthampton (35)
Largest victorySouthampton 5–1 Portsmouth
(FA Cup, 13 January 1906)
Portsmouth 5–1 Southampton (18 October 1919)
Southampton 5–1 Portsmouth
(11 September 1920)
Southampton 5–1 Portsmouth
(27 August 1960)
Southampton 4–0 Portsmouth
(17 April 1975)
Portsmouth 0–4 Southampton
(League Cup, 24 September 2019)

Portsmouth play their home games at Fratton Park, while Southampton play theirs at St. Mary's Stadium. Portsmouth and Southampton are historically the most successful clubs on the southern coast of England, and lie only 19 miles (31 km) apart in Hampshire. However, because the two clubs have often been in different divisions, the derby game has only been played 71 times in "First Class" competition since the first one in 1899.

Portsmouth have won the most titles of the pair, being champions of England twice (1948–49 and 1949–50) and twice FA Cup winners (1939 and 2008), whilst Southampton have won a single FA Cup (1976). In "first class" matches between the two teams, Southampton have the most wins, and have been more regularly in a higher league than Portsmouth, including their 27 consecutive years in the top flight of English football. However, Portsmouth were southern England's first club (outside of London) to reach the top division in 1927 and stayed for 34 consecutive years until relegated in 1961, five years before Southampton finally reached Division One.

In the 2023–24 season, Southampton play in the second tier EFL Championship and Portsmouth play in the third tier EFL League One.

Changing fortunes

Side-by-side comparison of Southampton and Portsmouth final league positions 1921 to the present. The two sides have rarely shared a division, hence the relatively low number of derbies played

.

Southampton were originally formed in 1885 as St. Mary's Young Men's Association F.C., before adopting the name Southampton St. Mary's when the club joined the Southern League in 1894. After they won the Southern League title in 1896–97, the club became a limited company and changed their name to Southampton F.C. Portsmouth was founded in April 1898 and joined the Southern League in 1899.

The first match between the two clubs came in a friendly at Portsmouth's Fratton Park ground on 6 September 1899. The match was won "on their merits" 2–0 by Portsmouth, with goals from Dan Cunliffe (formerly with Liverpool) and Harry Clarke (formerly with Everton).[1]

Southampton and Portsmouth first played each other in the Southern League in April 1900, with Portsmouth winning 2–0 twice in three days. The teams met regularly in the Southern League, and in the early years of the 20th century were rivals for the league title, with Southampton taking the title in 1901, 1903 and 1904 (having also been champions in three consecutive seasons from 1896–97 to 1898–99, before Portsmouth were formed) and Portsmouth taking the title in 1902 (and again in 1920).

The first of four South Coast derbies in the FA Cup took place on 13 January 1906. Because of the large crowd expected for the first FA Cup meeting between the two rivals, the local registrars in both towns postponed voting in the 1906 general election until the following week.[2] The match at The Dell was attended by a capacity crowd of 14,000 and the Portsmouth fans, together with their players, did their best to unsettle the inexperienced 'keeper, Bill Stead, who was making only his second first team appearance. Stead, however, showed few signs of nerves and produced a "phlegmatic performance",[3] restricting Portsmouth to a single goal from Dan Cunliffe, while the Saints scored five and eventually progressed to the last eight, where they lost 3–0 at Liverpool.[2]

For the 1920–21 season, both teams were admitted to the Football League (together with the majority of the Southern League First Division sides). The first Football League game between the two clubs was on 11 September 1920, with Southampton winning 2–0. After two seasons in the Third Division, Saints were promoted as champions in 1922. Pompey joined them in the Second Division in 1924 and were promoted to the First Division in 1927, becoming the first southern club outside of London to reach the top tier of English football. Up to this time the teams had met ten times in the Football League, with Saints winning four, Pompey three and three draws.

From 1927 until 1960 Portsmouth enjoyed a much-superior league position to their neighbours, winning the FA Cup in 1939 and back-to-back League Titles in 1948–49 and 1949–50, until 1960, when Southampton gained promotion back to the Second Division, Portsmouth having been relegated from the First Division the previous season. From the 1960s onwards, Southampton found themselves in the ascendancy, being in a superior division nearly every season while defeating their rivals whenever the two sides met in cup clashes.

With Southampton being in a higher division for most of the period from the 1960s through to the early 2000s, the two clubs rarely met. Events such as the death of Portsmouth goalkeeper Aaron Flahavan, a Southampton-born footballer whose brother Darryl had played for Southampton, occasionally brought the fans together. However, events of recent years have altered this markedly.

Southampton dominated the South Coast derby games in the post-war era, with 14 wins against Portsmouth's 6. Portsmouth's promotion to the Premiership in 2003 evened matters and reignited the clubs' rivalry – the first time the two teams had met in regular league competition since the 1987–88 First Division season. Southampton held the upper-hand, winning two of the three matches played between the two sides in the 2003–04 season to Portsmouth's one.

The rivalry was galvanised with the appointment of Harry Redknapp as Southampton manager in December 2004, just days after he had resigned as manager of Portsmouth, and less than a month after the Saints had beaten Portsmouth at St Mary's Stadium. The following month, the Saints were drawn against and defeated their rivals in a fiery FA Cup match, with former Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch (who would go on to rejoin Portsmouth in 2008) scoring the decisive penalty in the last minute of the match.

However, Portsmouth struck back in the next league encounter between the rivals, with Southampton beaten 4–1 at Fratton Park by their relegation rivals in Redknapp's only return to the ground with the club. Southampton were subsequently relegated from the Premiership a few games later on the final day of the 2004–05 season, ending their 27-year run in the top flight of English Football. Harry Redknapp caused more controversy when he left Southampton and returned to Portsmouth and enjoyed success.

Portsmouth won the FA Cup again in 2008 under Redknapp whilst, in 2009, Southampton were again relegated, this time to League One.[4] The two sides met in a fierce FA Cup match at St Mary's in 2010 which Portsmouth came out 4–1 victors again and went on to reach the FA Cup final that season but did not perform too well in the league. Portsmouth were in turn relegated to the Championship for the 2010–11 season after having been deducted nine points as a penalty for entering administration.[5]

The matches played during the 2011–12 season both ended as draws, but the club's fortunes differed considerably with Southampton gaining promotion to the Premier League and Portsmouth once again going into administration and being relegated to League One.[6]

In Portsmouth's absence, AFC Bournemouth and Brighton and Hove Albion – based about 30 miles (48 km) and 60 miles (97 km) from Southampton respectively – gained promotion to the Premier League, with some media outlets marketing fixtures against them as a 'South Coast derby';[7][8][9] however, there is very little shared history or animosity between the clubs and supporters have never acknowledged these as significant rivalries,[10][9][11] something which was emphasised in September 2019 when Southampton were drawn against Portsmouth in the EFL Cup for their first meeting in seven years, with the event being discussed with much more anticipation than Saints' league matches against both Bournemouth and Brighton a few weeks earlier.[12][11][13]

Harry Redknapp

The acrimonious departure of Harry Redknapp from Portsmouth to Southampton brought the bitter rivalry between the two clubs to a new level. When Redknapp returned to Portsmouth in November 2005 following Southampton's relegation, it only served to further sour relations between the two clubs, which arguably remain at an all-time low. The two clubs' chairmen at the time, Rupert Lowe (Southampton) and Milan Mandarić (Portsmouth), publicly criticised one another on a number of occasions, with Lowe calling for an inquest into irregular betting patterns in the run-up to Redknapp's re-appointment. Mandarić had even sent a boxed duck as a Christmas "gift" to Lowe (as Lowe had been on a hunting trip when the "ordeal" began), but the gesture only furthered the animosity between the two.[14][15][16][17]

Inter-fan rivalry

Exactly when the fierce rivalry between the supporters of the two clubs began is not entirely clear. Until as recently as the early 1970s, many fans would go and watch the other team when their side was playing away, indicating anything but hatred. Some ascribe the growing rivalry since then to the cities' diverging economic fortunes.

In 1976, there were changes in fortune for both cities and their football clubs. Portsmouth International Port was built next to the new M275 motorway spur, both opening in 1976. This was seen as a threat to the Port of Southampton by its dockers. Portsmouth FC, on a decline, lost a fifth consecutive derby match against Southampton in a period from 1966 to 1976.[18] Southampton FC, then in Division Two, were on the rise and won a shock victory in the 1976 FA Cup Final against Division One team Manchester United 1-0 at Wembley Stadium. The goal was scored by Portsmouth-born Bobby Stokes.

Southampton were promoted to Division One in 1978. Meanwhile, Portsmouth plummeted to Division Four in the same period. Jealously, bragging, changing fortunes between the opposing fans, and the rise of football hooliganism in 1970s England are most likely the cause of the bitter rivalry that now exists between both sets of supporters.

In the early 1980s, cross-channel ferry services then moved from Southampton to Portsmouth International Port. Portsmouth's closer proximity to the European continent saved fuel, journey time and made more economic sense to ferry operators. Portsmouth's closer distance to London by road and rail was also seen as a positive by European visitors.

In the 1987-88 Division One season, Portsmouth and Southampton both met in the top division of English football for the first time in their shared histories. This was the first season that Southampton fans began using the derogatory Skate nickname for Portsmouth's supporters, which had been chosen from a fanzine poll. Despite a 2-2 home draw at Fratton Park, and a 0-2 away win at The Dell, Southampton, Portsmouth were eventually relegated back to Division Two after only one season.

In the early 2000s, Southampton based ship builder Vosper Thornycroft moved from its Woolston yard to new facilities at Portchester (near Portsmouth), and also into a newly built ship hall within HMNB Portsmouth. West Quay shopping mall in Southampton city centre was also opened, which attracted many Portsmouth residents away from Portsmouth's traditional shopping areas, favouring the new West Quay mall which offered more variety than Portsmouth's declining Commercial Road and Palmerston Road shopping areas.

On 15 May 2005, Portsmouth - now in the Premier League - lost 2-0 away to relegation threatened West Bromwich Albion. Portsmouth's loss earned West Bromwich Albion three points and survival to end one place above the relegation zone. However, this result also affected and confirmed bottom-placed Southampton's relegation to the second tier of English football for the first time since 1978.[19] Portsmouth supporters ironically celebrated their 2-0 loss to West Bromwich Albion as a victory, which had relegated Southampton to a division lower than that of Portsmouth. The last occasion this had happened was in the 1960-61 season, where Portsmouth had been in Division Two and Southampton were in Division Three.

In 2015, 10,000 Portsmouth people signed a petition against Portsmouth City Council's decision to allow airline Emirates to use its red and white livery (Southampton colours) for its sponsorship of the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth.[20] The city council subsequently came to an agreement with sponsors Emirates to use blue and gold (Portsmouth colours) instead.[20]

Nicknames

Portsmouth supporters refer to Southampton supporters as "Scum" or "Scummers". According to some Portsmouth fans, the term "scum" developed out of an fictitious acronym standing for Southampton City (or Corporation) Union Men, with the term allegedly originating from when Southampton dockyard workers supposedly crossed the picket lines in the 1930s when Portsmouth dockyard workers were on strike. However this story is unlikely, as the two cities rely on entirely different types of ports — Southampton being a merchant port and Portsmouth a naval one. There is also no known record of any strike occurring during the mentioned time period. Rather, this seems to be a modern attempt to incorrectly describe the origins of the rivalry.[21]

Southampton supporters have taken to referring to their local rivals as "Skates", after a Southampton fanzine, The Ugly Inside asked its readers in 1988 to suggest an abusive term most likely to cause offence to Portsmouth supporters.[22][21] This date coincides with Portsmouth's return to the Football League Division One in its 1987–88 season, when both clubs occupied the same division for the first time since 1976.[23] Skates was chosen as the derisive alternative to "matelot" to describe naval sailors, Portsmouth being the home of the Royal Navy.

Derby results in summary

"First class" competitions only[24]

Competition Played Results Goals
SouthamptonPortsmouthDraw SouthamptonPortsmouth
Southern League 32151254343
Football League 28126105036
Premier League 422066
FA Cup 5410126
League Cup 220060
TOTAL 7135211511791

All-time results

League

Southampton vs Portsmouth

Date Venue Score Competition
11 September 1920 The Dell 5–1 Third Division
25 March 1922 The Dell 1–1 Third Division (South)
27 September 1924 The Dell 0–0 Second Division
5 September 1925 The Dell 1–3 Second Division
15 January 1927 The Dell 0–2 Second Division
27 August 1960 The Dell 5–1 Second Division
2 March 1963 The Dell 4–2 Second Division
8 February 1963 The Dell 2–3 Second Division
16 January 1965 The Dell 2–2 Second Division
28 August 1964 The Dell 2–2 Second Division
14 September 1974 The Dell 2–1 Second Division
17 April 1975 The Dell 4–0 Second Division
3 January 1988 The Dell 0–2 First Division
21 December 2003 St Mary's 3–0 Premier League
13 November 2004 St Mary's 2–1 Premier League
7 April 2012 St Mary's 2–2 Championship
Southampton wins Draws Portsmouth wins
7 5 4

Portsmouth vs Southampton

Date Venue Score Competition
18 September 1920 Fratton Park 0–1 Third Division
18 March 1922 Fratton Park 0–2 Third Division (South)
29 November 1924 Fratton Park 1–1 Second Division
16 January 1926 Fratton Park 1–2 Second Division
28 August 1926 Fratton Park 3–1 Second Division
31 December 1960 Fratton Park 1–1 Second Division
13 October 1962 Fratton Park 1–1 Second Division
28 September 1963 Fratton Park 2–0 Second Division
12 September 1964 Fratton Park 0–3 Second Division
5 February 1966 Fratton Park 2–5 Second Division
26 December 1974 Fratton Park 1–2 Second Division
6 April 1976 Fratton Park 0–1 Second Division
22 August 1987 Fratton Park 2–2 First Division
21 March 2004 Fratton Park 1–0 Premier League
24 April 2005 Fratton Park 4–1 Premier League
18 December 2011 Fratton Park 1–1 Championship
Portsmouth wins Draws Southampton wins
4 5 7

Cup tournaments

DateScoreWinnerCompetitionVenue
13 January 1906
5–1
Southampton FA Cup The Dell
20 January 1984
0–1
Southampton FA Cup Fratton Park
7 January 1996
3–0
Southampton FA Cup The Dell
2 December 2003
2–0
Southampton League Cup St Mary's
29 January 2005
2–1
Southampton FA Cup St Mary's
13 February 2010
1–4
Portsmouth FA Cup St Mary's
24 September 2019
0–4
Southampton League Cup Fratton Park

Players who have played for both clubs

Updated to 21 April 2023

Player Portsmouth career Southampton career
Span League
Appearances
League
Goals
Span League
Appearances
League
Goals
John Bainbridge 1906–1907 25 4 1907–1910 84 20
Ian Baird 1987–1988 20 1 1982–1985 22 5
Gavin Bazunu 2021–2022 44 0 2022– 32 0
Dave Beasant 2001–2002 27 0 1993–1997 88 0
Billy Beaumont 1907–1910 70 2 1910–1911 27 0
Edward Bell 1911–1912 4 0 1906–1908 4 0
John Beresford 1989–1992 108 8 1998–2000 17 0
Eyal Berkovic 2004–2005 22 2 1996–1997 28 4
Robert Blyth 1921–1922 8 2 1922–1923 8 0
Tommy Bowman 1904–1909 85 3 1901–1904 88 2
Arthur Charles Brown 1907–1910 9 0 1906–1907
1910–1912
0
39
0
0
Arthur Chadwick 1901–1904 43 9 1897–1901 81 6
Mick Channon 1985–1986 34 6 1966–1977
1979–1982
391
119
157
28
Colin Clarke 1990–1993 85 18 1986–1989 82 36
Eamonn Collins 1986–1989 5 0 1981–1983 3 0
David Connolly 2012–2015 38 11 2009–2012 61 14
Andy Cook 1987–1991 16 1 1997–1998 9 0
Martin Cranie 2007–2009 2 0 2004–2007 16 0
Peter Crouch 2001–2002
2008–2009
37
38
18
11
2004–2005 27 12
Ron Davies 1973–1974 59 18 1966–1972 240 134
C. B. Fry 1902–1903 2 0 1900–1902 16 0
Ricardo Fuller 2004–2005 31 1 2005–2006 31 9
Paul Gilchrist 1977–1978 39 3 1972–1977 107 17
Mervyn Gill 1953–1955 6 0 1955–1956 1 0
Jon Gittens 1993–1996 83 1 1985–1987
1991–1992
18
19
0
0
Alex Glen 1907–1908 7 1 1906–1907 29 10
Ivan Golac 1985 8 0 1978–1983
1984–1985
144
24
4
0
Willie Haines 1922–1928 164 119 1928–1932 70 47
Trevor Hebberd 1991 4 0 1976–1982 97 7
Scott Hiley 1999–2002 75 0 1998–1999 32 0
Barry Horne 1987–1989 70 7 1989–1992 112 6
Ted Hough 1931–1932 1 0 1921–1931 175 0
Kelly Houlker 1902–1903 23 1 1903–1906 59 3
Bill Kennedy 1932–1933 1 0 1936–1938 43 0
George Lawrence 1993 12 0 1980–1982
1985–1987
10
70
1
11
John Lewis 1900–1901 21 7 1907–1908 24 10
Alex McDonald 1902–1903 7 7 1901 5 5
Johnny McIlwaine 1928–1930 56 5 1930–1932
1933–1937
46
81
9
9
Jerry Mackie 1920–1928 278 78 1928–1931 81 24
Alan McLoughlin 1992–1999 309 54 1990–1992 24 1
Steve Middleton 1977–1978 26 0 1969–1970 24 0
George Molyneux 1905–1906 23 0 1900–1905 142 0
Harry Penk 1955–1957 9 2 1960–1964 52 6
Vincent Péricard 2002–2006 44 9 2008 5 0
Matt Reilly 1899–1904 138 0 1895 2 0
Nigel Quashie 2000–2005 148 13 2005–2006 37 5
Matthew Robinson 1998–2000 69 1 1993–1998 14 0
Bill Rochford 1931–1946 138 1 1946–1950 128 0
Bobby Stokes 1977–1978 24 2 1968–1977 216 40
Isaac Tomlinson 1906–1907 5 0 1905–1906 29 8
Jhon Viáfara 2005–2006 14 1 2006–2008 76 5
Grégory Vignal 2005–2006 14 0 2007–2008 20 3
Malcolm Waldron 1984–1986 23 1 1974–1983 178 10
Jack Warner 1906–1915 227 10 1905–1906 17 0
Ernest Williams 1906–1909 32 5 1912 1 0

Managed both clubs

Played for one, managed/coached the other

Women's football

Both Portsmouth and Southampton have had women's counterparts in the past. Southampton Saints L.F.C. had the better history, affiliating to Southampton F.C. and taking on the club name in 1995, maintaining membership of the FA Women's Premier League National Division from 1998 to 2003 and finishing runners-up in the Women's FA Cup in 1998-99. Portsmouth F.C. Women, formed in 1987, has never climbed higher than the second tier.

Both teams played in the Southern Championship in the 2006–07 season. Portsmouth was a strong contender for promotion (they finished 3rd), while Southampton was relegated to the Regional Combinations. The former Portsmouth manager, Vanessa Raynbird, also played in and later managed Southampton as well.

Southampton F.C. had ended its links with Southampton Saints L.F.C. in 2005. In 2017, Southampton F.C. formed a women's section, Southampton F.C. Women. In summer 2021 Southampton F.C. Women were awarded upward club movement to the third-tier FA Women's National League Southern Premier Division, of which Portsmouth F.C. Women are long-serving members, meaning the 2021-22 season saw the resumption of the South Coast Women's Derby.

Major honours won by the clubs

Honours Portsmouth Southampton
Football League First Division /
Premier League
(first tier)[25]
Champions 1948–49, 1949–50
Runners-up 1983–84
Football League Second Division /
Football League First Division
(second tier)[25]
Champions 2003
Runners-up 1927, 1987
Runners-up 1966, 1978, 2012
Football League Third Division (South) /
Football League Third Division
(third tier)[25]
Champions 1924, 1962, 1983 Champions 1922, 1960
Runners-up 2011
Football League Fourth Division (fourth tier)[25] Champions 2017 -
FA Cup Winners 1939, 2008
Runners-up 1929, 1934, 2010
Winners 1976
Runners-up 1900, 1902, 2003
League Cup Runners-up 1979, 2017
FA Charity Shield Winners 1949 (Shared)
Runners-up 2008
Runners-up 1976
Southern League Champions 1902, 1920
Runners-up 1900, 1907
Champions: 1897, 1898, 1899, 1901, 1903, 1904
Western Football League Champions 1901, 1902, 1903
Runners-up 1908
Champions 1908
Runners-up 1904, 1906, 1909
Football League Trophy Winners: 2019 Winners: 2010
Hampshire Senior Cup Winners: 1896, 1903, 1913, 1952, 1987 Winners: 1891, 1892, 1895, 1899, 1901, 1902, 1905, 1908, 1910, 1914, 1920, 1921, 1935, 1940, 1950, 1976

References

  1. Juson 2004, p. 9.
  2. Juson 2004, pp. 42–43.
  3. Holley & Chalk 1992, p. 321.
  4. "Southampton 2–2 Burnley". BBC Sport. 25 April 2009. Retrieved 7 May 2009.
  5. "Portsmouth lose nine points for entering administration". BBC Sport. 17 March 2010. Retrieved 8 September 2010.
  6. Husband, Tony (3 May 2012). "South-coast pendulum swings Southampton's way". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  7. AFC Bournemouth: What should we call the derby between Cherries and Southampton?, Bournemouth Daily Echo, 30 October 2015
  8. Southampton snatch equaliser against Brighton in the south coast derby but remain in the relegation zone, The Independent, 31 January 2018
  9. Bournemouth against Southampton the “other” South Coast Derby, Vital Football, 18 October 2018
  10. Southampton v Brighton: A 'derby' fans don't care about, Brighton and Hove Independent, 18 August 2018
  11. Bournemouth end long wait for a win at Southampton, Belfast Telegraph, 20 September 2019
  12. "Saints off the mark at 10-man Brighton". BBC Sport.
  13. Southampton 1-3 Bournemouth ("Next up for Southampton is the 'proper' South Coast derby, at Portsmouth in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday"), BBC Sport, 20 September 2019
  14. "Redknapp in limbo over Lowe delay". 5 December 2005 via news.bbc.co.uk.
  15. "It's up to Lowe". Daily Echo.
  16. "Fowl offering from Pompey chairman". Daily Echo.
  17. "Portsmouth charged with illegal approach". The Irish Times.
  18. "Portsmouth football club: record v Southampton". www.11v11.com.
  19. "West Bromwich Albion v Portsmouth, 15 May 2005". 11v11.com.
  20. "Spinnaker Tower branding: New design revealed by council". BBC News. BBC. 19 June 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  21. Mitchell, Kevin (23 January 2005). "Scummers v Skates". Retrieved 2 May 2012.
  22. "Why Bournemouth Will Never Be Saints Rivals ! - Southampton News". The Ugly Inside.
  23. "Southampton football club: record v Portsmouth". www.11v11.com.
  24. Juson 2004, p. 267, Table 2 (Updated for later results).
  25. Up until 1992, the top division of English football was the Football League First Division; since then, it has been the Premier League. Similarly until 1992, the Second Division was the second tier of league football, when it became the First Division, and is now known as The Championship. The third tier was the Third Division until 1992, and is now known as League One.

Bibliography

  • Farmery, Colin (2004). Seventeen Miles from Paradise: Saints v Pompey – Passion, Pride and Prejudice. Desert Island Books. ISBN 978-1874287896.
  • Holley, Duncan; Chalk, Gary (1992). The Alphabet of the Saints. ACL & Polar Publishing. ISBN 0-9514862-3-3.
  • Juson, Dave (2004). Saints v Pompey – A history of unrelenting rivalry. Hagiology Publishing. ISBN 0-9534474-5-6.
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