HATVENT CALENDAR 09/12/2010

Today's hat is mainly red with some black bits in the bobble. This represents Liverpool who of course play in all red. The black bits in the bobble represent the relative 'dark times' that the club has been going through in recent years. I say 'relative' because I wish Pompey had such 'disappointing' seasons e.g. winning the Champions League and coming runners up in the same competition a few years ago.

There can be no doubt, in my mind anyway, that English football needs Liverpool to be challenging for titles, pushing Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea all the way. If you grew up in the era of the great Liverpool teams of the 1970s and 1980s under Shankley and Paisley you'll know what I mean.

The Premier League has become too predictable - even with the injection of money at Manchester City and the star of Tottenham Hotspur currently on the ascendency.

Liverpool haven't won the League Title since the early 1990s, a football tragedy.

A strong Liverpool would add to the overall interest levels and make the Premier League more competitive at the top end. As it is by the time April comes round most of the excitement seems to focus on relegation, how crass is that?!

I really thought it was going to happen a couple of seasons ago for Liverpool when they pushed Manchester United all the way, but alas they fell short at the final hurdle.

My simple observation is that Liverpool have been caught up and in some cases (the aforementioned Citeh and Spurs) 'overtaken' by other clubs, certainly in the ability to be able to attract the biggest names in the game. There has been a squeezing of the middle in the Premier League and Liverpool are on the edge of that.

Here's hoping that changes soon, for the good of the whole game in this country.

Pompey have had some tremendous encounters with Liverpool over the years.

The Football League Cup 4th Round match at Anfield in 1980 is one that has gone down in Pompey folklore, not because of the result (Pompey lost 4-1) but because of the 12,000 fans Pompey took to the match! I've recently acquired a copy of the programme from that match, but that's one to share on another day.

The League Division One game in February 1988 at Fratton Park was another game remembered for the crowd - 26,000 packed in that day, including me! I stood on the packed North Terrace with a group of friends who had travelled down specifically for the game and my ticket cost 3 pounds 50 pence! Pompey lost 1-0 bringing to an end a pretty decent run of form. The programme that day was a 'celebratory special' and cost one pound! It's packed with some really good stuff.

There have been some good results for Pompey in recent times in both The Premier League (last season for example) as well as the FA Cup (both 2003 after a replay and 2004 saw Pompey victories).

In the 20008-09 Premier League season Liverpool won 3-2 at Fratton Park having been behind. Despite the defeat it was a fantastic game to watch.

The 1992 season though saw two of the most memorable matches between these clubs in the FA Cup Semi-Final. The first was drawn 1-1 AET at Highbury (which I went to) and the second was drawn 0-0 AET at Villa Park, Pompey losing on penalties (I couldn't get out of work that day and watched the game in my company's social club on a 'big screen' TV). Such a shame. Liverpool went on to win the FA Cup at Wembley against Sunderland. Pompey would have had a great chance to win it that season if they'd got to the Final as Sunderland like Pompey were in the second tier of English football. If only...oh well, we only had to wait another 16 years!

I hope you enjoy these pictures.

The cover of the matchday programme from the match at Highbury.

This is an article from that programme, which mentions the queues for tickets. See the pictures below which I took after I'd queued for mine!

These two pictures show the queues down Frogmore Road and along Goldsmith Avenue. I started queuing just after 7AM with Mrs PC (heavy with egg) and a mate from work. We joined the queue half-way down Goldsmith.

This is the cover of the programme for the FA Cup Semi-Final Replay at Villa Park.

This picture is from the first Semi-Final match at Highbury, showing John Barnes and Darren Anderton, it's the centrefold of the programme at the replay.


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HATVENT CALENDAR 08/12/2010

What a great hat! I don't think this represents a particular football club at all. It represents the fans of all football clubs! We're all a bit mad in our own little ways, aren't we?

Pompey's fans have sometimes appeared on the front cover of the matchday programme. Here are some examples from down the years:





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HATVENT CALENDAR 07/12/2010

Today's hat is green and white, the colours of English football league clubs like Yeovil Town and Plymouth Argyle and Scottish football league clubs like Celtic and Hibernian.

Green is also the colour of Nigeria, which leads me on to today's Pompey link: African players who've played for Pompey during the last few years.

There have been some big 'hits' (e.g. Yakubu and Kanu) and one or two 'misses' (e.g. Lauren) and one or two 'forgotten men' (need to look them up...because I've forgotten them ;-D). Africa is a fantastic footballing continent with many stars and Pompey has seen quite a few of them ply their trade on the South Coast, certainly during the Premier League years.

Here's a list of players from the African continent to play for Pompey during the Premier League years, 2003 to 2010:
Kanu (Nigeria)

Lomana Lualua (DR Congo)

Benjani Mwaruwari (Zimbabwe)

Ayegbeni Yakubu (Nigeria)

John Utaka (Nigeria)

Papa Bouba Diop (Senegal)

Nadir Belhadj (born in France but played international football for Algeria)

Amdy Faye (Senegal)

Sulley Muntari (Ghana)

Diomansy Kamara (born in France but played international football for Senegal)

Lauren (Cameroon)

Aaron Mokoena (South Africa)

Aliou Cisse (Senegal)

Kevin-Prince Boateng (born in Berlin but played full international football for Ghana)

Aruna Dindane (Ivory Coast)

Hassan Yebda (born in France but played international football for Algeria)

Djimi Traore (born in France but played international football for Mali)

Vincent Pericard (born in Cameroon but has not played for that country)

Salif Diao (Senegal)

Valery Mezague (Cameroon)

Quincy Owusu-Abeyie (born in Holland but played international football for Ghana)

Rudolph Doula (Cameroon)

Collins Mbesuma (Zambia)

Lucien Aubey (Republic of Congo)

Emmanuel Olisadebe (Nigerian by birth but played international football for Poland)

And here's one who played during the Championship winning season in 2002-03:
Lassina Diabate (Ivory Coast)

And here's a current Championship player:
Ibrahima Sonko (Senegal)

If I've missed anyone, let me know!

Sources
Premier League Memories a News publication
The website Pompeyrama at: http://www.pompeyrama.com/home.html
The website Wikipedia at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

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HATVENT CALENDAR 06/12/2010

Today's hat is white with yellow flecks in it and a weird beeded 'bobble' that makes it look more like a rattle snake than anything else. Obviously, it represents four small footballs!

Ok...so where are we going with this today? Well, not very far unfortunately. Yellow flecks made me think of Robert Fleck who played for Norwich City who of course play in yellow...and green. Ummm. That train of thought was cut short quickly.

I seem to recall a team wearing white shirts and yellow shorts in the 1970s, but I couldn't tell you which team it was. Leeds United? Derby County? Or was that yellow shirts and white shorts? Or yellow shirts and blue shorts? Oh dear, another dead end.

Having scoured my books I can't find a team that played in white shirts and yellow shorts, so I must have imagined that.

This is as close as I can get: Leeds United played in all white but in the mid-1970s the club badge was...yellow! A very tenuous link today!

Pompey play at Elland Road this season during the Festive holiday season, on the 28th of December. It's not a ground I've been to unfortunately but I did drive past it once when I was in the city...and lost. The big, main stand is awesome.

The last time Pompey played Leeds United away there was a lot riding on the game with both teams in trouble at the wrong end of the table. It was live on TV, Sunday lunchtime I think, and a large number of Pompey fans had made the trip. Pompey came away victorious and survived in the Premiership, Leeds United were eventually relegated. This season both teams are looking upwards rather than downwards; it should be a good game and a cracking atmosphere. The Leeds fans always turnout in big numbers at Elland Road over the Festive period.

I think the 'real challenge' of the day is to identify Pompey players who have scored four goals in a game in recognition of the four beads on the 'rattlesnake hat'. And here they are (including two players who also scored five!):

Alf Strange scored five in the 1922-23 season against Gillingham (H) on January 27th in Division 3 South. Pompey won 6-1.

Harry Havelock scored four in the 1925-26 season against Nottingham Forest (H) on March 20th in Division 2. Pompey won 5-1.

Billy Haines scored four in the 1926-27 season against Preston North End (H) on May 7th in Division 2. Pompey won 5-1.

Peter Harris scored four in the 1954-55 season against Sheffield United (H) on October 9th in Division 1. Pompey won 6-2.

Peter Harris (again!) scored five in the 1958-59 season against Aston Villa (H) on September 3rd in Division 1. Pompey won 5-2.

Harry Middleton scored four in the 1961-62 season against Derby County (A) in the Football League Cup 2nd Round Replay. Pompey won 4-2.

Ray Hiron scored four in the 1968-69 season against Norwich City (H) on April 12th in Division 2. Pompey won 5-2.

Guy Whittingham scored four in the 1990-91 season against AFC Bournemouth (H) on January 26th in the FA Cup 4th Round. Pompey won 5-1. I was at that game!

Guy Whittingham (again!) scored four in the 1992-93 season against Bristol Rovers (H) on December 26th in Division 1 (old Division 2). Pompey won 4-1.

Yakubu Aiyegbeni scored four in the 2003-04 season against Middlesbro (H) on May 15th in The Premiership (Premier League). Pompey won 5-1. I was at that game too!

Sources
Pompey The History of Portsmouth Football Club by Mike Neasom, Mick Cooper and Doug Robinson

Pompey Players 1920-2001 The Official Guide to all Portsmouth's Football League Players by Roger Holmes

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As Rare As PompeyChicken's Teeth

Have you ever seen one of these on sale in a UK retail outlet? Nope, me neither!

But they really do exist! Unless I'm missing something it seems the smallest value we can buy is 15 pounds...why is that I wonder? I got this one through the rewards scheme for a well known brand of fuel. But where else can you get them?

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HATVENT CALENDAR 05/12/2010

Today's hat is red and blue - the colours of Crystal Palace.

I've been to Selhurst Park a few times over the years to see Pompey play but I don't ever recall seeing an away win.

That includes one game there against Wimbledon before they moved to Milton Keynes, changed their name to MK Dons and the heart of the club re-established itself in the lower leagues as AFC Wimbledon. That was a surreal night. The ground was pretty much empty apart from the 9,000 or so Pompey fans who'd made the trip and saw Pompey leave empty handed again. All very odd.

The one game when they did emerge victorious, a 3-2 win against The Eagles in the 2002-03 promotion season, I missed. Ho hum.

But I digress...

When I think of Crystal Palace my mind drifts back to a game on the May Day Bank Holiday back in 1987. Monday 4th May to be precise.

I was supposed to be revising for my Finals, which started the following day, but a trip to South London to see Pompey secure promotion was just too much to miss.

I travelled up with my mate Rich in his orange Ford Popular for this 12 Midday kick-off. I seem to recall the trip up was busy and we were 'behind schedule'; he managed to park it on the corner of an obscure street near to the ground only minutes before the kick-off. That would never happen today.

We arrived at the turnstiles just as a flurry of ticker-tape, thrown by Pompey fans, blew up and out of the ground as we queued at the turnstiles to get in.

Pompey were second in the table behind Derby County and ahead of Oldham Athletic in third. A point would secure promotion to the top flight for the first time in 28 years.

There were around 10,000 Pompey fans at Selhurst Park that day in a crowd of just over 18,000. It was Palace's biggest gate of the season to that point, they were chasing a play-off place.

As is often the way I can recall little of the game other than the moment an up-and-coming striker called Ian Wright scored a very late winner to secure a 1-0 victory for the home team.

Just prior to that goal being conceded the Pompey fans had started to celebrate promotion...albeit prematurely. I seem to recall the terrace was awash with all sorts of inflatables and as Palace scored the Pompey fans hushed and the inflatables all disappeared from view. Amazing. Surely after going so close to promotion in the previous two seasons it wasn't going to be snatched away again was it?

Interestingly, looking through a few of my books and programmes there was a Pompey 'goal' (by Paul Mariner) disallowed during the game for offside (which I'd forgotten about, Micky Quinn was the offender).

Also, Vince Hillaire was sent off before the final whistle for a push on a Palace player (which I do remember).

Ian Wright's goal came in the 87th minute following a cross from a 17 year old substitute called John Salako (now on Sky). Palace also had Mark Bright playing for them (who now co-commentates on BBC Radio) and an Alan Irvine...not sure if that is the same person who was assistant to David Moyes at Everton before moving on to manager Preston North End and Sheffield Wednesday, but I guess it's possible.

Pompey fans left Selhurst Park disappointed for the trip back down to the South Coast. But this turned to joy the following evening as Shrewsbury beat Oldham Athletic, who were in third place, 2-0. Pompey had secured promotion without kicking a ball.

I celebrated promotion with friends in The Rutland Arms (I can't recall anything about that either but I suspect a few pints were involved). I also suspect the Pompey players and staff celebrated hard that evening too...and probably the next...and the next...

The final home game of the season was against Sheffield United. Pompey lost 2-1 in front of 28,000 fans and someone climbed up the floodlight pylon pursued by a member of the local Constabulary. But that's a story for another day...

Enjoy these images from the matchday programmes of the Crystal Palace and Sheffield United games.

Front cover of the Crystal Palace programme:

Back cover of the Crystal Palace programme:

Alan Ball's column in the Sheffield United programme:

Chairman John Deacon's column in the Sheffield United programme:

Pictures of the Palace game from the Sheffield United programme:

Extract from the Fratton Scene column in the Sheffield United programme:


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HATVENT CALENDAR 04/12/2010

Today's picture shows a beautifully made black and white striped non-bobble hat, the colours of Newcastle United, Juventus and the subject of today's blog Notts County the oldest football club in the world, formed in 1862.

Now, some of you will be looking hard at Pompey Chicken's photograph and saying: 'Hold on! That hat is actually dark blue and white stripes, there's no black at all!'. And you may well be right...but I don't have a story about Sheffield Wednesday or WBA and it's my blog and I've decided they're black stripes...OK?! They look black and white in a certain light anyway...in a dark room...with a paper bag over your head...and your eyes shut...

So, where was I? Ah, yes...Notts County.

Now, let's get a direct Pompey link out of the way: current Pompey manager Steve Cotterill was manager of Notts County when they were promoted last season from League Two to League One, picking up the reins on a rather odd season, although perhaps not as odd as the one Pompey had. So well done him. I hope he maintains the 'promotion habit'.

I saw Pompey play Notts County at Meadow Lane back in the 1992-93 season, April 17th 1993 to be precise. I went with some friends, one of whom lived near Nottingham so it was a 'home game' for him. My ticket cost nine pounds! Pompey were lying second in Barclays League Division One and looking good for promotion to what was to be the first season of the Premier League. Top of the table was none other than black-and-white striped Newcastle United under King Kev, who didn't have black and white striped hair in those days! In third place was West Ham United followed by Swindon Town and...Leicester City (grrrr!).

My matchday programme from the game shows that the Pompey team that day was: Alan KNIGHT, Andy AWFORD, Guy BUTTERS, Alan McLOUGHLIN, Kit SYMONS, Ray DANIEL, Warren NEILL, Mark CHAMBERLAIN, Paul WALSH, Guy WHITTINGHAM and Bjorn KRISTENSEN. Subs: Warren ASPINALL and George LAWRENCE (yes only two in those days and no goalkeeper!). That was a good team.

I don't remember too much about the game to be honest apart from the goal, a near post flick of a header by Walshie in the second half following a whipped in cross down the right flank from Bjorn 'Benny' Kristensen. It was in front of us jubilent fans. Pompey won 1-0.

Reading the notes in Colin Farmery's book Portsmouth: From Tindall To Ball, A Complete Record it sounds like Pompey were lucky on the day. Oh well, who cares, the fans went home happy - including me! It was a good away win and promotion was very much on the cards.

At some point during the afternoon, either before the match or at half-time, I remember the matchday compere on his microphone stood on the pitch in front of the away end wishing all the travelling Pompey fans good luck after we got promoted. Afterall, it was only a matter of time...only three games to go.

Sadly, Pompey didn't get promoted automatically, missing out on the second spot to The Hammers on goals scored and then losing out in the two-leg play off semi final to Leicester City. Grrrrr! That 'offside' goal at Fratton Park still wrankles even today. Swindon Town emerged victorious from the play-offs.

Pompey probably shouldn't have missed out on automatic promotion that season if other results had gone their way, in particular the 5-5 away draw against Oxford United when they were winning 5-3 going into added time.

How different it might have been for Pompey if they'd been promoted that season, with the Premier League (or the Premiership as I believe it was called then) just getting established. As it was they trundled along mainly in the lower reaches of the second tier for another ten seasons, narrowly avoiding relegation on three occasions and going through administration with debts of over 7 Million pounds (yes, that's right 7 Million or one John Utaka transfer fee - puts the 2009-10 debacle into perspective doesn't it where the debt was somewhere between 15 and 20 times that amount, I lost count once it went over 100 Million). They didn't get promoted until the 2002-03 season. But that's a story for another day...

Here's the matchday magazine cover:

Here's the teamsheet for the game:

And here's the ticket!

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HATVENT CALENDAR 03/12/2010

This is a dark and light purple number. It immediately made me think of Fiorentina in Italy a team whose nickname is Viola and good old Wikipedia provides more information about that football club here ==> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ACF_Fiorentina

There was a time when I used to love watching football from Serie A and Fiorentina used to feature sometimes. If not live then during the highlights in the Saturday morning magazine show with one Mr James Richardson a cool looking English dude who spoke Italian and could read all the Italian football papers whilst sipping on an expresso in some cafe (well, he shared the headlines with us viewers so I assume he could read the articles as well). Football dailies! How amazing! We had The Sports Mail published weekly on a Saturday evening (an excellent publication that still sells today one of the few surviving football 'pinks').

I'm sure Football Italia (as the show was known) was some of the only live football you could see on terrestrial TV, but I might have that wrong.

I recall many a happy Sunday afternoon settling down on the sofa watching Italian football on Channel 4. They had big clubs, big crowds with passionate fans waving impossibly huge flags and big stars; some of the football was scintilating, full of solid defending mixed in with exquisite skill (well that's how I remember it anway). The best British players had moved to Italy in the past: Joe Jordan, Trevor Francis, Ray Wilkins, Mark Hately and Luther Blisset all played in Italy following in the footsteps of players like Jimmy Greaves and John Charles in the 1960s. Gazza was the latest export, moving to Lazio. David Platt was another.

And goodness me! Don't you know it Wikipedia has a page on this TV show as well, here ==> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_Italia

Today, Italian Football is shown on ESPN. Occasionally, when I'm 'doofing' through the channels, I'll come across a live game which 15 or so years ago I would have gone out of my way to sit down and watch. But no more. I 'doof' past it briefly noting the scoreline in the top right hand corner of the screen...or is it top left? Why I don't watch anymore I don't know. The Italian Clubs are still big (Inter Milan are the current European Champions afterall) and they still have some big stars. There are at least two Serie A Clubs with former Pompey players (Sulley Muntari at Inter Milan and Kevin Prince Boateng at AC Milan), so even some 'personal interest'. Is it because there are now more star names plying their trade in the Premier League? Possibly...even the best Italian managers are here too (Capello, Ancellotti, Mancini).

Whatever the reason, Italian football is sadly a thing of my past not my present.

And so back to Fiorentina...surely there's not another tenuous Pompey link here I can pull out of the bag?

Oh yes there is!

Back in December 1993 Pompey played Fiorentina at Fratton Park in the Anglo-Italian Cup. Pompey lost 3-2 in front of a paltry crowd of 2,338 fans. It wasn't a vey well supported competition although I was there that night with some friends from work. What a contrast to the next game I saw Pompey play against Italian opposition at Fratton Park: AC Milan in the UEFA Cup...but that's a story for another time.

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HATVENT CALENDAR 02/12/2010

Well, waking-up this morning to a blanket of snow outside I thought I'd try and go for a hat with a snowy theme...this one is mainly white but with a hint of pink and yellow. Ummm. That sounds like the Pompey strip worn in the 2010 FA Cup Final against Chelsea!


When you look back on 2010 it's been a pretty amazing year for all Pompey fans with a lot of lows (e.g. financial troubles, relegation from the Premier League) but getting to a second FA Cup Final in three years was fantastic and a real high.

I'm sure many Pompey fans will tell you that winning the FA Cup Semi-Final against Spurs at Wembley was a personal highlight of 2010 - and it was great - but for me being able to say I've watched Pompey at two Wembley FA Cup finals will always come out top. Every season I used to proclaim "It'll be our year this year!" and for that to happen - twice! - was unbelievable. Truely a dream come true!

With the Third Round draw of the 2010-11 FA Cup having now been made and Pompey being drawn away to either non-League FC United of Manchester or League One table toppers Brighton & Hove Albion, I've got one thing to say "It'll be our year this year!" and who is to say I won't be right...'miracles' have happened before - twice!

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HATVENT CALENDAR 01/12/2010

Wahay! Here is the first picture on the Hatvent Calendar - orange with a white bobble.

Which football club is this? I'm going for Blackpool but I'm sure there are others.

Surely, the story of the Premier League so far. A team promoted through the Championship Play-Offs against all odds, beating highly fancied Cardiff City in the final at Wembley. A team given little chance by the football pundits from the outset. A team whose ground wasn't quite ready for the start of the season. But one under the stewardship of Ian Holloway has played open attacking football and caused more than one upset already this season e.g. beating Wigan 4-0 on the opening day and Liverpool 2-1, both away.

They currently sit mid-table in 11th on 19 points. It's a fairytale and it may still have an unhappy ending but who cares: Blackpool have been a breath of fresh air this season. Good luck to them.

Postscript 04/12/2010
As I've been writing each blog I've been trying to find a Pompey link. I was conscious this entry didn't have one...until now. Earlier this year at the Portsmouth Football Programme and Memorabillia Fair at Fratton Park I came across this matchday programme when I was rifling through some boxes on one of the stands. It wasn't a programme I had been looking for but as soon as I saw it I had to have it (you know how it is). Anyway, enjoy Blackpool FC's official matchday programme from 30th August 1980 versus Portsmouth and one Mr. Alan Ball, a future Pompey manager when this picture was taken (a proper legend).


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HATVENT CALENDAR 2010: INTRODUCTION

What's All This About Then?
If you've recently bought an Innocent Smoothie from either Sainsbury's or Boots you will undoubtedly have noticed a small woolly hat perched on top of the bottle.

It's all part of The Big Knit - making winter warmer for older people.

Innocent has been donating 25 pence from every sale of one of its Smoothies to AgeUK a worthy cause this time of year, especially as the weather has already turned wintery. Brrrrr!

To find out more about The Big Knit go to this link:

http://www.innocentdrinks.co.uk/bigknit/

Where's The Football Link?
So, what on earth has all this got to do with football I hear you ask?

Well, PompeyChicken has 'acquired' a lovely collection of hats, with lots of help from Master PC who has been consuming an Innocent Smoothie everyday for the last few weeks as part of his Five A Day routine, and it got him thinking about bygone days when homemade woolly hats in club colours were often seen at football grounds up-and-down the country.

There must have been an army of mums, aunties and grandmas all over the country click-clacking away, knitting bobble hats! They'd have a nightmare today with the seasonal change of club colours especially away strips and the introduction of 'third kits'. They were saved by the modern day phenomenon of the now ubiquitous 'baseball cap'.

By the way: in the 1970s I only ever remember Manchester City and Crystal Palace having 'third kits' - did other clubs have them?

Also, if you hadn't realised, December is upon us. A couple of years ago on Keith Daily we had a Christmas Keith everyday during December (take a look at the history if you need a reminder)....it was Keith Daily's version of an 'Advent Calendar' although there was no little doors to open...or a calendar...but hey who cares?!

So, woolly hats, football and Advent calendars were all thrown into the mix by PompeyChicken along with some cornfeed a bit of clucking, some pecking and scratching and after all of 3 minutes he came up with: the Hatvent Calendar. Will your club's colours be included? Enjoy!

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26/11/2010 Swansea 1-2 Portsmouth: ‘All Blacks’ win in Wales

@PompeyChicken gives a match report ‘mash up’ of Pompey’s victory in South Wales with a little help from (mainly) Pompey fans on Twitter and BBC Radio Solent.

Goals from David Nugent and Greg Halford secured Pompey all three points at the Liberty Stadium against high-flying Swansea City.

Just over 17,500 fans, boosted by over 1,000 who made the treacherous trip up from the South Coast, witnessed the game, it was Swansea’s biggest home gate of the season. The game had been moved to the Friday evening because of the Wales international rugby match on the Saturday.

@Josh23perry: Snow absolutely chucking it down. Literally a mini blizzard. Hopefully the game still goes ahead. Although I’m worried.
@Alexb19: Swansea here we come. Swansea Swansea here we come!
@Blu33arthling: @Pompey_Pages Pompey on another European tour. Full moon in Swansea high st
@mikwade: #Pompey fans are quality
@ChrisPagey: Swansea Pompey freezing
@wordsfailme: play up #pompey – do it for the 1,000 who have made the effort tonight in the snow, magnificent stuff from our supporters

Pompey were unchanged from the team that lost 1-0 against Barnsley the previous weekend. As they did at Oakwell, Pompey donned their all black away strip. Unfortunately, to complete a hat-trick of similarities, they found themselves behind conceding a goal very early on to Craig Beattie. It was poor defending by Pompey but a nicely taken goal from Beattie shooting from just inside the box to the left of the diving Jamie Ashdown.

@wordsfailme: clearly #pompey didn’t read my tweet
@chalkface2009: oh ffs #pompey
@shortythesheep: 1-0 down already?!?! It can only be pompey 
@DJDcee: You are KIDDDDDING me?! 1-0 down already..... 55 seconds in..... #Pompey

Swansea were in the ascendency and could have scored further goals, the tricky Nathan Dyer in particular causing problems.

@officialpompey: Swansea are on top here - Pratley, Gower and Dyer have all gone close #pompey

However, although Swansea had the initiative and were the better team early on, the travelling Pompey faithful didn’t give up hope and as more of them arrived at the ground following their difficult journey the Pompey Chimes became clearly audible over the airwaves.

The Pompey players responded by picking up their game and were unlucky to have a ‘goal’ by Dave Kitson chalked off for an apparent handball during the build-up.
@havelock34: Linesman needs shooting. Play up Pompey. Hopefully that will get us going.

@officialpompey: Kitson nets but its ruled out for handball in the build-up #Pompey
@Pompey_Pages: Pompey (Kitson) scores but ruled out for handball - poor decision as well!

After enduring half an hour of Swansea pressure, which yielded no further goals, Pompey started to come into the game more, John Utaka in particular sparked into life which appeared to follow an exchange of words with Kitson after the breakdown of one move. Chances started to emerge for Pompey.

@princessclairin : @Pompey_Pages but he is john utaka football genius! we sing it so he will believe it..#pompey
@wordsfailme: good football from #pompey and it's Utaka. Who cares if he's lazy, he's good at football.
@Pompey Chicken: Kitson goes close with a header following good work by Utaka #Pompey
@officialpompey: Great work by John Utaka to burst past several players and send a cross into the box, but Kitson's header flies over #pompey

With Pompey having taken the initiative away from the home team it was no surprise with half-time approaching that David Nugent drew Pompey level, following more good work by Utaka. His through ball split open the defence leaving Nugent free to slip the ball calmly underneath the advancing goalkeeper. A really good goal and well deserved.

@Pompey_Pages: POMPEY 1-1 DUH DUH DUH DUH DAVID NUGENT!
@Princessclairin: yyyyyyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssssss! #pompey
@PompeyChicken: Goaaaaaaallllllllllllllllll! Swansea 1-1 Pompey #Pompey David Nugent. WoooooooHoooooooooo!
@shortythesheep: David nugent baby! 1-1 game on! play up pompey, dodododo david nugent dodododo, david nugent!
@AdeSmith: Nugent scored for England in a small European country and now he's done the same for #Pompey.
@officialpompey: Nugent coolly slid the ball home after his run had been picked out by Utaka. Much better from #Pompey in the last few minutes

Despite playing poorly at the start of the match Pompey emerged at half-time on level terms, a spirited comeback against a team that had a strong record at the Liberty Stadium: only one defeat and two goals conceded all season before this game.
The players deserved their half-time cup of tea (or whatever they drink these days) before Steve Cotterill shared his words of wisdom and inspiration, which he has done on a few occasions this season to pep up the team for the second half.

@wordsfailme: if there's one thing cotterill is good at, it's half time team talks #pompey

HT: Swansea City 1-1 Pompey

@solentsport: #pompeyfc Half time at The Liberty Stadium - Swansea 1-1 #pompey (Beattie on 2 mins for the Swans, Nugent on 43 for Pompey)
@Pompey_Pages: Rocha, Halford and Nugent all been booked in the first half! #pompey
@josh23perry: Almost outrageous how this game is 1-1. Swansea have outplayed #Pompey in every department. Joel Ward has got an absolute roasting at LB.
@josh23perry: The performance tonight makes the decision not to sign anyone on loan deadline day all the more baffling. We look so heavy legged. #pompey
@josh23perry: Saying that, if we somehow win this, Cotteril is a genius. #pompey

Pompey picked-up in the second half where they left off the first, the radio commentators relaying periods of Pompey pressure. The chants of the Pompey fans were coming through loud and clear.

Interestingly, at one point during the second half BBC Radio Solent had to turn down their effects microphone because it was picking-up some rather colourful language from the Swansea fans sitting in and around them!

The main commentator went through a period of whispering in a hushed tone, all very bizarre as it didn’t stop his co-commentator Pompey legend Andy Awford making plenty of exclamations!

They both mentioned how Steve Cotterill was ‘living and breathing’ every moment of the game, something he’s done at quite a few matches this season from his technical area.

Pompey’s second goal came from a free-kick. The lively Liam Lawrence dinked a very short pass forward to Utaka who ‘teed’ the ball up for an excellent, whipped cross into the box where on-loan Greg Halford jumped unmarked to head his second goal of the season.

@Pompey_Pages: GREG HALFORD GIVES POMPEY THE LEAD!!!! #pompey
@PompeyChicken: Yeeeeesssssssss! Goaaalllllllll! Swansea 1-2 #Pompey, Greg Halford!
@Pompey_Pages: Swansea 1 Pompey 2 - Lawrence free-kick whipped in and Halford gets on the end of it to send Pompey in to the lead! #pompey #scafc
@DJDcee: Halford u beauty!!!! 2-1 #Pompey
@Rocky_Gibbs: Pompey 2-1 up wooh!!!!
@alextwilson: GET IN POMPEY
@MicKarchie: Get in! Play up Pompey
@Rourkey76: Yes get in !!! Well done @Greg_Halford Come on boys hold on now! #pompey!
@officialpompey: GOAL!!! Swansea 1 #Pompey 2 (Halford 65)

As Swansea failed to make any in roads, their manager Brendon Rogers made all three substitutions at the same time in an attempt to revitalise his team, a trick he obviously picked-up at Chelsea when Jose Mourinho was manager. But if truth be told it made little difference much to the frustration of some of the home fans.

@Officialpompey: Swansea have made a triple substitution with Dobbie, van der Gun and Agustien all coming on #pompey
@wordsfailme: Is that frustration from the home fans i'm detecting. Positive sign. #pompey

Pompey were the better team in the second half and once ahead were comfortable at the back despite some late pressure from the home team, Rocha in particular putting in a good performance alongside South African captain Aaron Mokoena.

@swansong_2010: Pompey looking the better side and deserve the lead on their 2nd half display
@officialpompey: Swansea pushing forward but #Pompey are holding firm
@Pompey_Pages: "Rocha has been immaculate, he hasn't put a foot wrong" #pompey

Pompey used their substitutions wisely. Richard Hughes replaced Michael Brown, who has been working his socks off for the cause over the last few matches. Hughes is Pompey’s equivalent of a baseball closing pitcher, brought on to shore things up and ensure the game is a brought to a positive conclusion. During the final minutes of the game, including the three added on, two further substitutions were made. Hermann came on to make a nuisance of himself up-front, replacing Kitson who’d had his most effective game for a while and then teenager Nadir Ciftci replaced Utaka.

@Pompey_Pages: HERMANN HREIDARSSON on for DAVE KITSON - Kitson puts in a much improved performance before making way on 89' #pompey
@Pompey_Pages: What is with sticking Hermann Hreidarsson up-front again? #pompey

With some of the Pompey fans now baring their torsos to the cold Welsh night air, waving their shirts above their heads and urging the referee to blow his whistle, the team dug in and held on.

@paulpfcgarner: Just injury time to go c'mon Pompey!!!
@mchippindale: C'mon Pompey! Two minutes to go. Am on tenterhooks via BBC mobile at Manchester Piccadilly #fb
@moodie: Come on pompey!
@chalkface2009: #pompey hold on lads.
@wordsfailme: *whistles* #pompey

After the final whistle the Pompey players acknowledged the magnificent support and the fans celebrated victory.

@officialpompey: #Pompey players applauding the travelling fans behind the goal

This was an excellent and well-deserved comeback victory for Pompey. Whereas the previous week they were unable to breakdown the Barnsley defence at the Liberty Stadium they did so with aplomb, scoring two very good goals. No mean feat against a Swansea team who were looking to put pressure on the top two teams – QPR and Cardiff City - before their clash at Loftus Road on Saturday.

Next up for Pompey is Burnley at Fratton Park. Steve Cotterill was on a combined TV pundit / scouting mission on Saturday evening for Sky Sports at Turf Moor, watching the home team perform their own comeback victory 2-1 over Derby County.

FT: Swansea City 1-2 Pompey

Here’s a selection of the post-match tweets from jubilant Pompey fans:
@OldPompeyBlue: FULL TIME!!! Swansea 1 Pompey 2 - Great win for Pompey!!
@chalkface2009: #pompey jingles bells jingle bells jingle all the way
@shortythesheep: 2-1 pompey! made my week! Well done @Greg_Halford and the lads! Blue Army!
@princessclairin: up to 12th! magnificent work #pompey and big up to the travelling posse, you sounded amazing
@davidpfleet: get in there pompey!!
@cken99: Pompey back to winning ways away to Swansea. Great start to the week-end.
@PompeyChicken: FT Swansea 1-2 #Pompey, 'All Blacks' win in Wales!
@robinteare: Great result Pompey
@Pompey_Bitch: @officialpompey I'm H-A-P-P-Y I'm H-A-P-P-Y I know I am I'm sure I am I'm H-A-P-P-Y Play Up Pompey
@MikeyTRRP: Well, pompey won. Thats awesome news. 2-1 against the team who are third. Play up Pompey!
@chalkface2009: #pompey \O/clapclapclapclapclap\O/
@1898Fratton: GET IN THERE. PLAY UP POMPEY!
@MicKarchie: Back on the road again. Play up Pompey
@duncanowen: What a win, Proud to be Blue! #pompey
@Alexb19: BLUUUEEEE ARRRMMMYYY #pompey
@hornej13: what a bloody brilliant result away at Swansea. Play up Pompey!!! #Pompey
@josh23perry: Well that was the definition of an away day 'smash & grab'. So much improved 2nd half. Looked a different team. #pompey #scafc

For a list of Pompey fans using Twitter that @PompeyChicken has identified to date see this link:
http://twitter.com/#!/PompeyChicken/pompeyfans

The BBC Radio Solent page can be found here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/solent/

@PompeyChicken 28/11/2010

Pictures From Barnsley Trip

The Pontefract Road End - The Barnsley FC Megastore Entrance is here if you're tempted.


Back of the East Stand - a chap going into Corporate came over and shook my hand when I was taking this picture: "Just wanted to shake the hand of a fellow Pompey fan!" he said.


The northern corner of the East Stand - it's nice and modern and an excellent facility albeit lacking in a bit of character (personal view).


Pompey team coach at the back of the North Stand - I saw the Pompey players hop off the bus before entering the ground. King Kanu got some nice attention by a chap wielding a very large 'world footballers book' or something, he got his prize autograph. Just shows you what a superstar Kanu is...everywhere he goes and how lucky we are to have him at Pompey.


The West Stand - this is the oldest stand at Oakwell, plenty of character here including old-fashioned, very narrow turnstiles.


The two teams emerge on the pitch welcomed by The Tykettes!


A first half view of the match.


A second half view of the match.

Barnsley 1-0 Pompey: Pompey Trip Up In Yorkshire

See this link for my match report on the Pompey Pages website - A View From The Stands:

http://pompeypages.com/2010/11/23/barnsley-1-pompey-0-a-view-from-the-stands/

Portsmouth 2-3 Doncaster Rovers: the mist drifts in

See this link for my match report on the Pompey Pages website - A View From The Stands:

http://pompeypages.com/2010/11/14/pompey-2-doncaster-3-a-view-from-the-stands/

POMPEY TEAM PHOTO 2010-11 CLOSE UP

06/11/2010 Derby County 2-0 Portsmouth: back down to earth with a bum performance

Pompey’s impressive unbeaten run in the Football League Championship came to a very disappointing end at Pride Park in front of 29,086 fans, Derby’s biggest crowd of the season. So much more was expected.

Pompey were forced to make a change to their line-up, David Nugent missed out with a knee injury and Joel Ward came into the team at right-back. On loan Greg Halford pushed up to right midfield with John Utaka started down the middle in his preferred centre forward role. Interestingly, Nugent was nursing his injury from the bench.

Derby started the quicker of the two teams and Pompey conceded a number of unnecessary free-kicks, Mullins and Mokoena, who received an early yellow card from referee Mr Webster, two of the guilty parties.

Ashdown made two excellent saves in the first half. Firstly, from a Robbie Savage free-kick with a two fisted punch away of a direct shot. Secondly, from a Chris Commons point blank effort two yards out, the ball hitting Ashdown’s right boot before bouncing up and hitting his right glove. It was an instinctive save but Commons really should have scored.

It was a frantic first 20 minutes with Pompey mainly under the cosh although they weren’t without their own chances. Dickinson found himself through but his strike was blasted well over the bar and Utaka found himself in a good position after Derby lost the ball in the middle of the park. He released Kitson whose left footed, on-target shot was tipped away by Fielding. Amazingly the referee signalled for a goal kick.

Derby’s pressure mounted and they deservedly took the lead with a Savage penalty, Mokoena was adjudged to have fouled Cywka after Dickinson lost the ball. TV replays weren’t as convincing as the commentators made out, Mokoena may have just got his toe to the ball. But the linesman put his flag across his chest and the referee awarded it. Later the tricky Cywka also had a shot deflected over the bar off Sonko, again the officials missing the corner.

Derby regularly broke forward quickly breaking, flooding the midfield and outnumbering Pompey. Neither Brown or Mullins could get a grip on proceedings, Kitson wasn’t receiving any service, Lawrence couldn’t get into the game and Utaka was disappointingly caught offside on more than one occasion.

Just before the break, Joel Ward committed a ‘1950s style challenge’ on goalkeeper Fielding and the ball dribbled into the net with the Derby stopper sprawled on the grass. The referee disallowed the ‘goal’.

Pompey were sent out early for the second half by Steve Cotterill but weren’t able to gain any momentum quickly conceding a second goal which was scored by Green. He was one of only two Derby players in the penalty box outnumbered by Pompey defenders yet he still got to the ball first. It was very poor defending and was celebrated by the Derby fans during their team’s next phase of passing possession with a series of ole, ole, ole! The home team was rampant.

Kanu came on to replace Ward with Halford moving to right back and Pompey entered their best period of the game, with The King at the heart of some decent possession, providing some nice touches and making some good passes albeit with no end result.

Pompey had a good appeal for a penalty after a jumping Derby player handled the ball in a challenge within the box but the desperate pleas of the players, especially Liam Lawrence, were waved away by the officials. Brown received his fourth booking of the season for his protestations and was shortly replaced by Richard Hughes.

Pompey’s two best chances of the second half came in the last 10 minutes. Kanu manoeuvred himself into space in the box only to blast his shot well wide when more composure was required; most unlike him. Dickinson was released down the left from a quickly taken free-kick in the four minutes of added time but his well driven shot whistled over the cross bar into the travelling Pompey fans.

Earlier here had been one final fright for Pompey when the impressive Commons hit a shot from over 40 yards and forced Ashdown to scramble back and claw the ball to safety.

Pompey were well-beaten in this encounter by Nigel Clough’s Derby County team that moved into fourth place in the Championship. Pompey dropped to thirteenth. Overall, it was a poor performance with too many players off their game. Jamie Ashdown was Pompey’s best player on the day; he had to be otherwise the score could have been much worse.

Next up: table-topping QPR on Tuesday 9th November, 7:45PM at Fratton Park.

By @PompeyChicken at Twitter.com

30/10/2010. Portsmouth 2-1 Nottingham Forest: expectations starting to rise as a new era begins at Fratton Park

A towering first-half header by Ibrahimo Sonko from a Liam Lawrence corner kick and a second-half goal from Lawrence himself, his sixth of the season, was enough to give Pompey all three points in this entertaining Championship game at Fratton Park.

With a flag flying proudly over the North Stand, heralding the start of a new era following Pompey’s exit from administration, there was eager anticipation amongst the home fans packed into the ground. The crowd of 19,719 was the biggest at Fratton Park this season, bolstered by a good following from the east Midlands, indeed, this was the biggest crowd at Fratton Park since November 2009 when Manchester United were the visitors.

McGugan had a good chance to score for Forest early on, hitting the side netting when he should have hit the target, Jamie Ashdown was nowhere after making an initial save. Mullins also had a good chance to score, driving into the box but firing over the bar into the Fratton End.

Sonko’s opener was equalised quite brilliantly by a stunning diving header from Anderson to make it all-square at the break; the second goal-of-the-season candidate the Pompey fans have witnessed in two home games. It was greeted with silent admiration and a few ripples of applause from fans who know their football. Followed by some ‘we forgot that you were here’ jibes at the now jubilant away supporters.

In the first half Pompey relied a lot on the long-ball, by-passing the midfield engine of Mullins and Brown; they were often out-numbered and stretched. The tactic wasn’t working: Kitson’s close control let him down on more than one occasion and Nugent’s tireless roadrunner act just couldn’t reap any rewards. Utaka was doing well in defence, tracking back well and making blocks, but up-front his forages were few and far between.

To be fair, despite some pressure from Pompey, Forest looked the better team at the break, shading it on points.

In the second half Steve Cotterill made an important change, bringing Utaka inside to play as the central striker and pushing Nugent down the left flank and Kitson down the right. With Lawrence, Dickinson and Halford all pushing on, the game opened-up. Utaka started to cause problems; Kitson continued to put in a hard-working, albeit fruitless, shift; and Nugent twice had good attempts on goal, one being tipped over the bar by Lee Camp.

Mullins and Brown started to run the show as the game progressed in the second half and it was no surprise when Pompey took the lead, Lawrence’s rasping shot inside the box taking a deflection off the defender and bouncing in off Camp.

Forest had chances to equalise, including one ‘sitter’: a headed shot which went wide following a Forest free-kick. Ashdown also had to make a good save. With time running out Camp joined the Forest attack in their search for an equaliser but with Pompey playing three central defenders at the back (Sonko, Rocha and the impressive Mokoena) and a fourth (the returning Hermann) playing in a floating, central-striker-cum-defender role the home team held out for three well-deserved points. Hermann’s arrival as a late substitution for Kitson brought one of the biggest cheers of the day.

This victory over Forest made it four wins on-the-spin, six wins in seven games, nineteen points out of a possible twenty-one. Whichever way you view it, the form is impressive. Pompey are nestled in 10th place on 21 points, just a point outside of the play-off positions.

The crowd has got back some of its old voracity and the chants were loud and proud. Those Pompey fans in the corner of the Milton End did what they promised they would do and the Chimes rang out, being echoed on the North Terrace and in the Fratton End.

There was an amusing moment in the second half when Steve Cotterill was ‘taken-out’ on the touchline by a sliding Robert Earnshaw. The collision left both men in a heap and Cotterill’s black tracksuit, which has overseen this impressive Pompey run of form, splattered in wet, Fratton Park mud. Quite apt for a man who could just as well have played the full game. He stands in the technical area barking out orders from start to finish, heading every cross, making every clearance, grimacing, cursing, shouting and pointing. The suited and booted Billy Davies had his moments too, and although he made Malkie Mackay of Watford look like a timid manager from the Nordics, he was upstaged by the effervescent Cotterill.

Next up for Pompey: Derby County away.

Pompey Man-Of-The-Match: Aaron Mokoena just clinched it for me ahead of Sonko and Lawrence (who won the sponsors’ award). The skipper celebrated his new contract by working tirelessly at the back with the highlight being a surging run forward in the second half roared on by the crowd which opened up a good scoring opportunity for Pompey.

By @PompeyChicken at Twitter.com

16/10/2010. Portsmouth 3-2 Watford: Malky steams as Brown beams

Pompey may not have completely drawn a line under their off field troubles but there are few signs of those on the field as they slowly find their Championship feet.

This victory against a strong, quick-witted Watford team, gave Pompey 10 points out of 12. The momentum is starting to build and the Pompey fans can sense that. The atmosphere at Fratton Park on Saturday was as good as it has been for some time. What could be better than being entertained and winning matches?

Goals were expected and the game didn’t disappoint although no one expected a goal-of-the-season contender from Hayden Mullins, to give Pompey a half-time lead. Mullins’ effort was a pile-driver, hit on the half volley from outside the penalty box, giving the ‘keeper no chance. But, hey! Who cares where the goals come from?

It seems that there’s not much defending in the Championship. It’s just a big slug-fest. If you score one, we’ll score two; if you score two, we’ll score three. It’s highly entertaining football to watch but not too good for the finger nails!

Watford started the game brightly, forcing a number of corners as they attacked towards their own fans. They took their set-pieces quickly. But Pompey held firm and grew in confidence as the match progressed.

Rocha oozed class at the back alongside Mokoena and with Mullins and Brown running the midfield Pompey were excellent on the break more than once urged on vocally by the Pompey faithful.

The tireless running up-front of Nugent and the more measured approach of Kitson was well supported by the runs from Lawrence, Ward and Dickinson down the flanks.

Watford came out for the second half and took their game up a couple of notches deservedly taking a 2-1 lead, through Taylor and McGinn, having pressed Pompey back in their half for long spells. During that period the Pompey defending was poor although Ashdown atoned for dropping the ball from one Watford shot, making an excellent save from the follow-up and somehow the defence bundled the ball away.

The crowd did their bit and urged Pompey on again. With Nugent running down on goal but losing out, Kitson followed-up quick as a flash and drilled the ball past the Watford ‘keeper to bring the scores back level.

The momentum was with Pompey and the winner came from man of the match Michael Brown who produced some neat control in the box and a deft finish to seal the points. The wily Brown chuckled his way through the remainder of the game; he’s revelling in his role this season and his performances reflect that.

With Watford manager Malky Mackay steaming on the touchline, which he did for most of the game, five minutes of added time were seen out and Pompey had secured an impressive comeback win. Mackay debated a lot of points with the match officials as they left the field although he seemed to be doing most of the talking.

Steve Cotterill was vocal throughout the game, jotting down the occasional item of shopping to pick-up at Tesco on the way home. He looks a bit more down to earth since he’s ditched the suit but the Pompey team seem to have responded to their track-suited manager and are on the ascendency.

With Pompey only naming four substitutes again, it’s clear that the squad is still small and the options limited. Unfortunately, the yellow cards are being racked-up, Mokoena picking-up his 5th of the season in this game. On the positive side, Pompey had Greg Halford warming-up with the players before the match, hopefully another body to add to a threadbare squad soon.

Next up it’s Millwall away on Tuesday night. The games just keep on coming. Let’s hope the goals and the points do too!

By @PompeyChicken at Twitter.com

POMPEY CHICKEN AND 2000s SHOOT ANNUALS

POMPEY CHICKEN AND SHOOT ANNUAL 2009

POMPEY CHICKEN AND SHOOT ANNUAL 2008

POMPEY CHICKEN AND SHOOT ANNUAL 2007

POMPEY CHICKEN AND SHOOT ANNUAL 2006

POMPEY CHICKEN AND SHOOT ANNUAL 2005

POMPEY CHICKEN AND SHOOT ANNUAL 2004

POMPEY CHICKEN AND SHOOT ANNUAL 2003

POMPEY CHICKEN AND SHOOT ANNUAL 2002

POMPEY CHICKEN AND SHOOT ANNUAL 2001

POMPEY CHICKEN AND SHOOT ANNUAL 2000

POMPEY CHICKEN AND 1990s SHOOT ANNUALS

POMPEY CHICKEN AND SHOOT ANNUAL 1999

POMPEY CHICKEN AND SHOOT ANNUAL 1998