Happy Birthday Pompey!!

[eltorrro]

and.... something else I can't quite put my finger on??

[BlueinPLtwenty]

Here`s to the next 125 years

[New Forester]

Got me thinking. I have now been supporting Pompey for 75 of the 125. Might even shed a tear if and when we clinch the title.

[itsaintfunny]

Got me thinking. I have now been supporting Pompey for 75 of the 125. Might even shed a tear if and when we clinch the title.

That's a pretty fabulous achievement and raise a glass to both the club and yourself.
I will certainly shed a tear when [not if ] you win the title.
Actually I might even raise a glass to both you and the club [must be going soft in my old age] but well done to both of you.

[Rjk66]

Well done New Forester, I can only lay claim to 61 of those 125 special years

[Blue Walter]

Got me thinking. I have now been supporting Pompey for 75 of the 125. Might even shed a tear if and when we clinch the title.

Congratulations, I can't match that but possibly a bit closer. I first went to Fratton Park about 70 years ago but I didn’t start regularly supporting the team until around 1962. Best wishes to the club on it's birthday and to yourself. Promotion as champions would be the perfect way to celebrate.

[eltorrro]

Got me thinking. I have now been supporting Pompey for 75 of the 125. Might even shed a tear if and when we clinch the title.

Dereliction of duty Mr New Forrester...where were you for the other 50 years???

On a personal note...how are you fairing in your new abode and surroundings? One reason for asking is we are considering doing the same here in Spain. Age prevents one from doing certain maintenance work on the house/pool so are looking to an apartment within easy walking distance of amenities where others do those jobs for you!

[New Forester]

Got me thinking. I have now been supporting Pompey for 75 of the 125. Might even shed a tear if and when we clinch the title.

Dereliction of duty Mr New Forrester...where were you for the other 50 years???

On a personal note...how are you fairing in your new abode and surroundings? One reason for asking is we are considering doing the same here in Spain. Age prevents one from doing certain maintenance work on the house/pool so are looking to an apartment within easy walking distance of amenities where others do those jobs for you!

Great question. Most of our 59 years together have been lived in villages where we have been completely dependent on use of cars. Fortunately we were able quite soon to have two cars. And our nearest daughter had a long drive from Guildford to visit. While we loved the areas we lived in we had reached the stage where health was deteriorating and we could see the benefits of moving closer to our daughter. We now live in a third floor apartment just 100 yards walk up to Guildford High Street. The longest walk we now have is about 15 minutes to the main line station. We have buses within 120 yards going every few minutes and a wide range of amenities within a few minutes walk. Life is about compromise. To enjoy the beauty of the countryside we need to jump in a car for just a few minutes. That’s really no big deal. To sum up, at our time of life we have done the right thing for us. And it’s a sheer delight to be able to see more of our daughter. In fact right now we are off to have breakfast in our new coffee shop where she will pop in to join us after a workout in the gym below our flat. Last but not least is the direct train to Fratton and the 35 minute trip to London Waterloo. Hopefully to be used regularly in the new season. And it’s great having so little domestic work to do!

[New Forester]

Got me thinking. I have now been supporting Pompey for 75 of the 125. Might even shed a tear if and when we clinch the title.

Congratulations, I can't match that but possibly a bit closer. I first went to Fratton Park about 70 years ago but I didn’t start regularly supporting the team until around 1962. Best wishes to the club on it's birthday and to yourself. Promotion as champions would be the perfect way to celebrate.

Looking back, it was throughout the 1950s that was my great thrill. My brother took me during the title winning years but by 1951 when I was 8 years old I was allowed to go on my own, catching the train from behind our home in Bedhampton. It was downhill for Pompey during those years but for this young kid it was magic!

[eltorrro]

Got me thinking. I have now been supporting Pompey for 75 of the 125. Might even shed a tear if and when we clinch the title.

Dereliction of duty Mr New Forrester...where were you for the other 50 years???

On a personal note...how are you fairing in your new abode and surroundings? One reason for asking is we are considering doing the same here in Spain. Age prevents one from doing certain maintenance work on the house/pool so are looking to an apartment within easy walking distance of amenities where others do those jobs for you!

Great question. Most of our 59 years together have been lived in villages where we have been completely dependent on use of cars. Fortunately we were able quite soon to have two cars. And our nearest daughter had a long drive from Guildford to visit. While we loved the areas we lived in we had reached the stage where health was deteriorating and we could see the benefits of moving closer to our daughter. We now live in a third floor apartment just 100 yards walk up to Guildford High Street. The longest walk we now have is about 15 minutes to the main line station. We have buses within 120 yards going every few minutes and a wide range of amenities within a few minutes walk. Life is about compromise. To enjoy the beauty of the countryside we need to jump in a car for just a few minutes. That’s really no big deal. To sum up, at our time of life we have done the right thing for us. And it’s a sheer delight to be able to see more of our daughter. In fact right now we are off to have breakfast in our new coffee shop where she will pop in to join us after a workout in the gym below our flat. Last but not least is the direct train to Fratton and the 35 minute trip to London Waterloo. Hopefully to be used regularly in the new season. And it’s great having so little domestic work to do!

Excellent NF and just what I thought the result would be. Can't wait to do the same thing!!

[BlueinPLtwenty]

This year in october I will have supported Pompey for 65 years. My Wife cannot understand the excitement this season has generated. I tried to explain that during those 64 years there has rarely been such an amazing run. Only 6 occasions in that time have Pompey been promoted, usually as Champions. This will be the seventh, virtually one promotion every 10 years. Yes we had Cup victories at Wembley which were an unexpected bonus, such is the roller-coaster of supporting Pompey. Happy Birthday, make this season a double celebration

[Berkshire Blue]

Congrats NF, and pleased to hear that your new living arrangements are working out well.

I started going to FP with my grandfather in the early 1950's, and then with my father when he returned after the Korean war finished. As you say, it was a long downward trend from then on, but I loved going, and still do. My grandfather was born in the early 1890's, so I suppose must have supported Pompey pretty well right from the start. I am extra pleased to say the my younger granddaughter attended her first game last Saturday with my son, the other three grandchildren already having been, and so it goes on.

[Selsey Bill]

Having met you NF, congratulations on still looking so young. The Peter Pan of Pompey supporters

[Pompey55]

Congratulations NF. on 75 years
Started myself in 1966 but no earlier family as my father settled here due to the navy
We now have 3 generations in the Fratton End myself daughter and 3 grandchildren so it just passed from one generation to another

[Blue Walter]

Got me thinking. I have now been supporting Pompey for 75 of the 125. Might even shed a tear if and when we clinch the title.

Congratulations, I can't match that but possibly a bit closer. I first went to Fratton Park about 70 years ago but I didn’t start regularly supporting the team until around 1962. Best wishes to the club on it's birthday and to yourself. Promotion as champions would be the perfect way to celebrate.

Looking back, it was throughout the 1950s that was my great thrill. My brother took me during the title winning years but by 1951 when I was 8 years old I was allowed to go on my own, catching the train from behind our home in Bedhampton. It was downhill for Pompey during those years but for this young kid it was magic!

Oddly enough I was basically dragged to Fratton Park to watch Pompey in the 1950's. This was because I was football mad and when any relatives came to stay with us from Peterborough way or from Kent they always wanted to make the pilgrimage to Fratton Park, which meant I was 'detailed off' to go with them. To me, at that age, watching football was wasting time that could be spent playing it. I originally came from Kent and my father was in the Royal Marines which meant we travelled around. We spent 3 years abroad and then another period away from here in Dorset, which meant me being dragged off to watch Bournemouth. We came back to this area when I was in Secondary School and the kids were excited because Pompey were heading for the Third Division Championship. So I started going with them to see what it was all about. My first game as a 'proper supporter' was against Peterborough, which we lost 3-0. It was later revealed that this particular game was the game that Dick Beatty took a bribe in order for Posh to win in the betting scandal that resulted in several players being prosecuted. Nevertheless, I was then hooked and apart from time at sea and abroad, or when I was knee deep in mortgages and kids and I simply couldn't afford to go, I have been a regular ever since. I have been a season ticket holder for 30 years or so but, where in life you have ups and downs, as a supporter of a club like Pompey it is useally downs & downs, with the occasional up.