Johnson Woodhead had a map hanging in the foyer of his home. At this moment, he was standing in front of the map, making faces at it.
1829 map showing the town of Portsmouth and its surrounding areas. In the lower left corner of the map, the name of the area - "Southamptonshire" - was scrawled artificially in pen.
"Grandpa, you are looking at this map again. Does it mean anything?" An elf less than one meter tall took Woodhead's old hand.
The green life was flowing in the palm of his hand, and Woodhead only felt that his life was continuing.
"I originally wanted to give it away," Woodhead said with a nostalgic look, "but in the end I kept it at home for no other reason than that it matched our wallpaper."
Little Woodhead didn't understand his grandfather's profound words at all. In his opinion, this was simply a nonsensical answer.
"I didn't expect to meet again so soon. These damn rays, you will definitely die miserably!"
Skates is a local slang term in Portsmouth.
There are many origins of this word, but the most commonly recognized one is related to the dock workers in Portsmouth and Southampton.
It is said that on one occasion workers in Portsmouth and Southampton agreed to strike simultaneously.
But just as the Portsmouth workers were about to fight to the end, the Southampton workers picked up their tools and returned to their jobs.
By this time, Portsmouth workers felt they had been betrayed, and the derogatory term "skates" was coined.
Woodhead took his young grandson out of the house and onto the street.
The grandfather and grandson quickly blended into the crowd, and everyone around them had serious faces, as if they were a group of saints heading to their destination to worship.
"Hey, buddy, how are you doing?"
"It's a bunch of old bones and can't die!"
The Artillery Arms pub is a place where Portsmouth fans often organize games to watch, similar to the Saints pub in Southampton.
Woodhead's ancestor is one of the founders of the local fan organization "Fratton Brotherhood", and now the old Woodhead wants to continue this relationship.
"Hey, look who's here?"
"Come on, uncle, here are lollipops."
"Do you want to eat?"
Seeing little Woodhead's cute face, the fans around him showed warm smiles.
The war is coming, this is the front line, and the fans are soldiers.
It's not a good thing for kids to come here.
"He is ready to go to the battlefield!" Old Woodhead said proudly, "Philip is already five years old, and he has the right to know what he wants to insist on!"
With that said, Old Woodhead put his grandson on his shoulders and shouted loudly: "Long live Portsmouth, long live Portsmouth!!!"
"Long live Portsmouth, long live Portsmouth!!!"
The surrounding fans were also infected by this passion, raised their arms and shouted loudly.
Like the Manchester Derby, London Derby, Liverpool Derby and Northeastern England Derby, there is also a fierce South Coast Derby in the south of England.
The two sides in the South Coast Derby are Portsmouth and Southampton.
The encounter between the two teams is probably the derby with the fewest encounters between the two teams in England. So far, the two teams have only met 25 times in the league, with Southampton winning 12 and Portsmouth winning 7.
Although the number of encounters was small, time did not dilute the hostility.
This is a bit like an inescapable resentment. If the two teams are of equal strength, often meet in the league, and can play a few games every season, there may be less tension.
But judging from the latest match between the two teams, it is clear that fans from both sides hate each other.
The grievances between the two cities are certainly not caused by a workers' strike. They involve many issues such as geography, culture and tradition.
Portsmouth was a military port that was part of Southampton until 1835.
Starting from a primitive pier, Portsmouth has experienced the process of developing from a small fishing boat into a port city.
People here have been working hard to make this place more modern.
Southampton has a less unique character than Portsmouth.
The city is richer and attracts a higher quality of business.
The workers here don't have to work as hard as the people in Portsmouth to get everything they need.
Therefore, the South Coast Derby has always been considered a grudge between the military port and the free port.
The differences between commercial and military ports, as well as the struggles between the working class, are two explanations for the estrangement between the two cities.
In fact, Portsmouth and Southampton and Birmingham and Manchester are very similar. People in the two cities have not experienced war, but they just dislike each other.
Extreme Portsmouth fans have always wanted to beautify the south coast derby, but they hate Southampton more deeply than their opponents hate themselves.
At Southampton, you can walk down the streets of Southampton wearing a Portsmouth jersey. But it's different if you're walking down the streets of Portsmouth wearing a Southampton shirt.
Portsmouth's method of criticizing Southampton has always been: "We have a championship legacy, but you have nothing, so you are nothing!"
Southampton fans responded: "You are right, but it is also 'fair'. In the past 40 years, we have surpassed you. But you lack respect for me and stubbornly let yourself indulge in You will always remain stagnant in your past glory.”
Fans from both sides debated endlessly, and no one could say who could win.
In fact, Portsmouth's "ancestors" did once live in prosperity.
From 1949 to 1950, Portsmouth won two consecutive League One championships.
But gradually, they began to sink in the league.
Portsmouth fans have always missed the glorious years created by such meritorious players as Jimmy Dickinson and Peter Harris. However, Portsmouth, which has been immersed in memories, finally became overwhelmed in the 1970s. Will be in Class B.
Instead, Southampton played in the old League One for the first time from the late sixties.
Ten years later, under the leadership of head coach Laurie McMenamy, Southampton won the FA Cup as a second division team.
After returning to the league, Southampton signed Kevin Keegan, the then Ballon d'Or player. This transfer caused a sensation throughout England at the time.
It was Keegan's arrival that transformed Southampton, a small team, into the pride of the South Coast during the 12 seasons coached by McMenemy.
During McMenemy's tenure, Portsmouth and Southampton met a total of five times, four in the league and one in the FA Cup.
As a result, Southampton won every game.
Unfortunately, no matter how much Portsmouth wanted promotion, Southampton was always in a league above them.
The team's downturn during that period really hurt Portsmouth fans.
Now, things are changing.
Southampton was relegated to the Championship last season, while Portsmouth remained in the Premier League.
From this perspective, Portsmouth fans have every reason to despise their derby rivals.
Due to prudent management strategies, Southampton has gradually slipped from the top team of the Premier League to the middle of the Premier League, and the head coach position is no longer as popular as before.
Portsmouth fans, who had endured it for nearly half a century, finally found an outlet this time.
Entering the 21st century, Portsmouth began to "come back" in a rare south coast derby.
Even so, the animosity between the two teams only grew.
Back in November 2004, when famous coach Harry Redknapp resigned as Portsmouth manager, he said he needed "a break".
But what the fans didn't expect was that two weeks later, Redknapp appeared at St. Mary's Stadium holding Southampton's towel high.
Redknapp is Portsmouth's hero. In his two and a half seasons at Portsmouth, Redknapp helped Portsmouth's "Pompey Boys" advance for the first time since 1988. to the Premier League.
Now the decorated manager has not only sparked outrage among Portsmouth fans but has left them for a rival club in deep relegation crisis.
After taking office, Redknapp knew the difficulty of his task.
In the first game, they lost to Tottenham 1-5.
Until April 2005, Southampton under Redknapp had only won three games this season and the team was already at the bottom of the standings.
When Redknapp led the Saints into Farton Park, he "won" the "cheers" of the fans.
"Hey, Judas, look here!"
"Come on, wave to us!"
"Wave your hands and smile!"
"Hahahahaha~~~"
Portsmouth showed no mercy. Being labeled "Judas", the Saints were demoralized and were beaten 4-1 by their opponents.
This is also the most recent match between the two sides.
I originally thought that Southampton would be relegated to the Championship, Portsmouth would stay in the Premier League, and the South Coast Derby would be repeated as before after so many years.
But I didn't expect that the two teams would meet again in the FA Cup so soon.
.....
As a person who experienced it firsthand, when he learned that the next opponent in the FA Cup was Portsmouth, his face became more serious than ever.
Only those who have personally experienced the South Coast Derby will know that the intensity of the derby here is no worse than that of the Double Red Club.
"Winter, winter!"
Among the farewell crowd, Wang Xiaodong saw a familiar face.
Little Kyle rides on the shoulders of old Kyle, and the Saints culture continues here in Southport.
"Don't worry, I will bring back a victory!" Wang Xiaodong affectionately scratched the tip of little Kyle's nose. Such a people-friendly move made Wang Xiaodong win the favor of many fans again.
"Dong, can you promise me something?" Little Kyle asked seriously.
"What's up?"
"If you score a goal, can you do this?" With that said, little Kyle jumped up on the spot.
His knees were shaking back and forth, and his index fingers were pointing forward alternately, which looked extremely funny.
Seeing such a childish celebration and looking at little Kyle's expectant eyes, Wang Xiaodong rolled his eyes and pulled Bell over behind him.
"Kyle, he is the main force in this game!" Wang Xiaodong used Bell as a shield and pushed him in front of everyone, "Teach him this move and he will do it."
Looking at the embarrassed and shy Bell, little Kyle accepted everyone who came.
"This, this..."
"Bell, my name is Gareth Bale." Bale braced himself, squatted down and said.
"MONKEY Bell? Can you agree to my request?"
Bell's eyes twitched. Although he was reluctant, he had to admit that even in the eyes of such young fans, his image was still not very good.
"Okay, I promise you."
After Wang Xiaodong's reminder, Bell certainly wouldn't miss this opportunity to show off himself.
Under countless spotlights, Bell stretched out his little finger and hooked up with little Kyle.
When the fans looked at Bell's face, which was even greener than Wang Xiaodong's, they couldn't help but have questions in their hearts.
What is Keegan doing?
Does he think that taking a monkey to Portsmouth will make them laugh so hard that they lose their fighting spirit and lose?
You think too badly of Portsmouth!
But Keegan knows the importance of this game better than anyone else. The Saints can't lose to anyone, but they can't lose to their rivals in Derby.
The bus started slowly, drove away from the crowd, and left the city.
Keegan stood at the front of the car, holding a microphone and said slowly: "Players, you have to remember."
"Tomorrow morning our supporters will be at work in the docks, factories and offices."
"And you must use your performance to make the fans who support us hold their heads high while waiting for the workplace to open, instead of hanging their heads like a bereaved dog."
"have you understood?"
