THERE are few derbies quite as fierce as Portsmouth against Southampton.
Those two sets of fans really do hate one another and it was by far the most heated derby I was ever involved in.
It brings back plenty of memories — but one always sticks out.
After leaving Pompey following a row with Milan Mandaric, I joined Saints just two weeks later.
Sometimes you do things and you look back and think: “What did I do there?”
Was I mad or what?
Amazingly, we were drawn against each other in the FA Cup.
I have to be perfectly honest now.
I was on the touchline at St Mary’s with ten minutes to go and we’re drawing.
I so desperately wanted someone to score.
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I was at Southampton but I didn’t give a monkey’s which team it was — I just wanted to avoid a replay and going back to Fratton Park so soon after leaving and swapping sides.
Amazingly, we got a penalty in the 90th minute and Peter Crouch stood up to take it.
I stood on the sideline shouting: “Not Crouchy!”
All I thought was: “Crouchy can’t take a penalty.”
But he proved me wrong, scored — and still reminds me of it whenever I see him.
