HAMMERS have only met Portsmouth on 23 occasions, and not since
1993, with
the spoils going to West Ham United11-10, and two draws.
The clubs avoided each other most recently owing to the fact
that as Pompey
came up to the Premiership West Ham United went down. During
that time ex-Hammers
player and manager Harry Redknapp was in charge of the south coast
club,
left, and rejoined again from another south coast side.
The last time the Hammers visited Fratton Park Trevor Morley
struck the only
goal in a 1-0 win, back in September 1992. The scoreline was the
same the
season before with Leroy Rosenior hitting the net.
In fact West Ham are undefeated away at Portsmouth since 1987,
going down
2-1 on that occasion with central defender Gary Strodder scoring
one of his
only two goals for the Hammers.
The first time West Ham visited Portsmouth was in the FA Cup
third round in
1928. They won 2-0 with goals form Vivien Gibbins and Jimmy
Ruffell, but
promptly lost the league fixture at Fratton Park a week later 2-1.
Gibbins
notched again.
The next season West Ham met Pompey in the FA Cup Quarter Final,
but lost
3-2. Jim Barrett scored twice for the Hammers.
On the opening day of the 1958/59 season Hammers travelled down
to the south
coast, and came back victorious with a 2-1 win courtesy of Vic
Keeble and
John Dick.
This was the first time that West Ham had played Pompey for 20
years and it
would prove to be the last visit to Fratton Park for another 30
seasons!