Speaking with the Enemy: Portsmouth v Everton

Mar 20 2009 Liverpool Daily Post

ARGUABLY the Premier League’s most recognisable fan, John Westwood, or to give him his full title following a name change by deed poll, John Portsmouth Football Club Westwood

EVERTONIANS are still on a high after reaching the FA Cup semi-final and booking their first appearance at the new Wembley but as someone who experienced the stadium for both the semi-final and fInal last season what are your thoughts on using the national stadium for last four ties?

I hate it. Wembley should be for the final and nothing else.

I always said I’d never go to the Cup final unless Pompey were in it but having to go there for the semi just a month before takes the edge off it and takes the special-ness away.

You’ve got to earn your right to play at Wembley because it’s the home of football and going there for the semi devalues everything.

Losing at the semi-final stage always used to mean you didn’t get to Wembley, if they don’t keep it back for the fInal then where will it all end? You may as well say ‘play every round there’.

I deliberately took my seat for the semi-final just minutes before kick-off because I didn’t want to soak up any of the pre-match atmosphere and I wanted to save myself for if we got to the final which thankfully we did.

Winning the FA Cup obviously brought European football to Fratton Park for the first time. What are your thoughts on managers who field weakened teams in continental competition when fans like yourself travel for miles to support their team against foreign opposition?

Unfortunately like everything in football now it’s all about making money and not winning competitions.

I’m sick of hearing when a team gets promoted to the Premier League that it will be ‘worth £40million to them’ rather than they’ll be looking forward to playing the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool or Everton.

Playing in Europe is so special, and we’d never had it before at Pompey before this season, and it shouldn’t be taken lightly.

I’d followed Pompey in the Anglo-Italian Cup a few years back and in pre-season friendlies but it was great to play in a proper competition.

You’ve got to enjoy these occasions when you can because you never know when they’ll come around again.

We went to Portugal and Germany and our fans took over town squares but there was a great atmosphere of friendliness.