Hampshire Police send warning to Southampton and Portsmouth fans | OneFootball

St Marys hosts the first South Coast derby in the league since 2012 on Sunday

Southampton and Portsmouth are set to renew one of English football’s fiercest rivalries this weekend, meeting in the league for the first time in 13 years.

Both sides have made solid, if unspectacular, starts to the new Championship campaign. Will Still’s Southampton have picked up five points from their opening four fixtures, drawing 2-2 at Watford before the international break.

John Mousinho’s Portsmouth sit eighth in the table after two wins, one draw and one defeat, leaving them five places above their neighbours as attention turns to Sunday’s clash at St Mary’s.

The derby has not been played at league level since April 2012, when Nigel Adkins’ Saints drew 2-2 on their way to promotion to the Premier League, consigning Pompey to relegation.

Since then, the only meeting between the clubs came in the EFL Cup in 2019, when Southampton ran out 4-0 winners at Fratton Park.

With local pride and league points at stake, Sunday’s contest is expected to be a high-octane affair both on and off the pitch.

Police issue warning to fans ahead of South Coast Derby clash

Hampshire Constabulary has issued a firm warning to supporters ahead of Sunday’s midday kick-off, urging anyone intent on causing trouble to stay away.

Assistant Chief Constable Tony Rowlinson acknowledged that “passions are going to be high” but insisted police were ready to deal with disorder.

“There will be a minority, I have no doubt, who will think that their motivation is to come along and cause trouble,” he said.

“My plea to those people is don’t come and cause trouble - don’t spoil it for the majority that want to have a good time.”

Managed travel arrangements are in place, meaning all Portsmouth fans attending the match must travel on specially organised coaches. Additional resources will be drafted in, including specialist officers, drones and mounted police, while engineering works mean no trains will run to Southampton Central on matchday.

Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones estimated the operation would cost up to £200,000, with football banning orders and CCTV surveillance set to be used to deter violence.

“The rivalry should be healthy and safe,” she said. “Anyone coming with the intention of causing trouble should expect to be arrested and face the consequences.”

The fiery history of Southampton v Portsmouth clash

The South Coast derby has a long history of flashpoints.

More than 90 arrests were made at Fratton Park in 2004, 12 fans were jailed following violence in Southampton in 2010, and a man was imprisoned in 2019 for punching a police horse during clashes at Fratton Park.

Despite that backdrop, both police and club officials are keen to stress that the majority of fans will be attending simply to enjoy one of the most passionate rivalries in English football.

Sunday’s game promises to be a fiery occasion both on and off the pitch, with Southampton aiming to climb the table under Still and Portsmouth looking to consolidate their strong start under Mousinho.