At the end of my last article of last season I said "I'm signing off for the summer but I'll be
back in August. Enjoy the break and see you at Scunthorpe". At least one misguided, and of course
anonymous message, seemed to think that this meant all the directors and staff were going on
holiday [...]
(Summary is not available.)
After a break enforced by England's "need to fool the Red-Tops that they really do have a
chance of being half-decent again", I belted it down to Fratton all-too-early on Saturday
morning, tired but excited. So it cut deep when all that greeted me was a stale Reds performance
and a man ringing a bell. A lot. As the team-sheets boomed over the 1970s PA system, a subtle yet
positive change of spirit was detectable in the Pompey faithful (who, clichéd though it is, this
spy can only confirm as one of the best in this fiery league of ours – even despite that bloody
bell!
