THE WRONG GOODBYE

As a Southampton fan for more years than I care to remember, it`s not easy to write about our fiercest south coast rivals, Portsmouth. The rivalry between the two clubs is as intense as any to be found in the parallel universe of professional football. Rangers/Celtic, Liverpool/Everton, Arsenal/Tottenham and any others you might name but the rivalry between the Saints and Pompey is just as strong, if not more so, for it is based not only on geographical proximity but also on cultural and historical differences that run deep. Over the years, the respective clubs have had their own distinct histories of ups and downs, successes and failures, but on the occasions when we have played each other, the atmosphere has always been special, as if you could reach out and touch it. So, against that unforgiving background it isn`t easy for me to write with any sympathy about our neighbours along the M27.

But last evening, Portsmouth Football Club decided to sack their manager, Paul Hart, pictured above. Now Mr. Hart had a long and distinguished career as a player, a commanding central defender who notched up 567 games for teams like Leeds, Nottingham Forest and Sheffield Wednesday. Until last night, he had an `interesting` second career as a manager of teams including Notts Forest and Barnsley before being handed the poisoned chalice at Fratton Park nine months ago.

And what a challenge that was. Spiralling debts, takeover fiascos, transfer ban, a whole raft of seasoned international players sold to repay debts and so on, not only made Hart`s job almost impossible but also had vibrant echoes of the Saints` own fortunes in recent years before our new billionaire owner came to our rescue a few months ago. Which is one reason for the sympathy I am expressing about Pompey`s plight, because we`ve had problems of our own at Saints and we know how it hurts. I know too that south coast football would not be the same without the rivalry.

But the other reason for my sympathy is simply for Paul Hart himself. For he seema a decent man, an honest, hard working, well meaning, old fashioned football man, with the game in his blood and a quiet dignity which seemed always to sit uneasily with the singular `culture` of Fratton Park. Maybe that was the real reason for his dismissal rather than the `unacceptable results` which, frankly, were little more than could have been expected of a club in complete disarray.

I don`t know who will take the helm at Portsmouth now, but it`s unlikely to be anyone with the same personable qualities as Paul Hart. And it will very probably be someone who more closely resembles the culture of a club long shrouded in mystery, skilled in straw grasping and built in the image of the unprepossessing city that supports it. They may live to regret getting rid of Paul Hart, for he was the acceptable face of Portsmouth FC.