Portsmouth fan turned away at England v Kosovo game

[Never to the dark side]

I think John Westwood is the Portsmouth follower who make sure he knows every one knows he is a Portsmouth fan.

He was turned away from St Marys for wearing his Pompey shirt.

I thought as England were hiring the stadium,it was England stadium for the game.

Saints have made a statement saying they are right,at the time posting the FA have not said anything.

So if go to an England game,  I am not allowed to wear a Bristol City shirt?

Loved to know how many turned up wearing other club colours.

FA do yourself a favour,supply free transport for the next home game as well as a match day ticket/s

[Robson]

13 minutes ago, Never to the dark side said:

I think John Westwood is the Portsmouth follower who make sure he knows every one knows he is a Portsmouth fan.

He was turned away from St Marys for wearing his Pompey shirt.

I thought as England were hiring the stadium,it was England stadium for the game.

Saints have made a statement saying they are right,at the time posting the FA have not said anything.

So if go to an England game,  I am not allowed to wear a Bristol City shirt?

Loved to know how many turned up wearing other club colours.

FA do yourself a favour,supply free transport for the next home game as well as a match day ticket/s

So if England played at Ashton Gate and a bloke was dressed up like a pirate wearing full blue and white quarters. Showing off he's a Bristol Rovers fan you wouldn't question it?

Never understood why fans wear club shirts to an England match. You are there to support England, not Portsmouth. 

[Squeak]

I read he was banned from St Mary’s for pissing all over the seats at a previous game. 

Definitely believable. Unsure if true. 

[Red-Robbo]

9 minutes ago, Squeak said:

I read he was banned from St Mary’s for pissing all over the seats at a previous game. 

Definitely believable. Unsure if true. 

Southampton have pissed all over Pompey for years.

TBH I would not automatically believe this bloke's sob story.

The fact he's a skanky Skate also casts doubt on it.

[Guest]

30 minutes ago, Robson said:

So if England played at Ashton Gate and a bloke was dressed up like a pirate wearing full blue and white quarters. Showing off he's a Bristol Rovers fan you wouldn't question it?

Never understood why fans wear club shirts to an England match. You are there to support England, not Portsmouth. 

Indeed. Unnecessarily provocative and he put Southampton in a difficult position deliberately. 

Personally, I think Soton were right but whether within their rights I expect to get tested as someone will probably fund him to have a go. Should be borne in mind T&C's probably (expect certainly) reserve the right to refuse entry on reasonable grounds, and it was his behaviour that may have made Soton feel they were acting on reasonable grounds. Obviously people will have their own view on that. 

[CodeRed]

20 minutes ago, Squeak said:

I read he was banned from St Mary’s for pissing all over the seats 

 

Only by accident though !

[Betty Swallocks]

John Westwood is a massive tit. 

Ringing a cowbell at a football ground should lead to a lifetime ban from football anyway.

[ZiderEyed]

50 minutes ago, Squeak said:

I read he was banned from St Mary’s for pissing all over the seats at a previous game. 

Definitely believable. Unsure if true. 

Sly tug is more likely imo.

[Isawjonshaw]

right or wrong, this will add fuel to the up and coming derby between them!

[Hampshire reds]

saints seem to have a massive issue with westwood. knowing the rivalry between saints and pompey i reckon he wore it for a windup. if he did saints were right to refuse him entry. westwood is a bright man he knows what he is doing.

[Offside]

At the England U21 game at AG a few months ago I saw one bloke in the ground wearing a blue and white scarf. I assumed he was a fewer and it didn’t bother me at all.

In the infinitely unlikely event I ever watch an England international game at the I’d probably wear something City-related. 

[Jerseybean]

3 hours ago, Never to the dark side said:

I think John Westwood is the Portsmouth follower who make sure he knows every one knows he is a Portsmouth fan.

He was turned away from St Marys for wearing his Pompey shirt.

I thought as England were hiring the stadium,it was England stadium for the game.

Saints have made a statement saying they are right,at the time posting the FA have not said anything.

So if go to an England game,  I am not allowed to wear a Bristol City shirt?

Loved to know how many turned up wearing other club colours.

FA do yourself a favour,supply free transport for the next home game as well as a match day ticket/s

https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/sport/football/portsmouth-fc/fan-forbidden-from-watching-england-at-southampton-s-st-mary-s-for-wearing-a-portsmouth-shirt-1-9067206

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, Jerseybean said:

https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/sport/football/portsmouth-fc/fan-forbidden-from-watching-england-at-southampton-s-st-mary-s-for-wearing-a-portsmouth-shirt-1-9067206

If the comments are to be taken as truth and he has urinated on seats previously then just ban him from the Stadium, but Southampton are actually saying they stopped him entering due to his Portsmouth shirt.

But one comment says the following: " I have seen a lot of photos on facebook this morning of other pompey fans wearing thier pompey tops to this same game last night, some were even carrying pompey flags, and also many other different club shirts as well. This seems to have been a targeted incident against an individual that was only wearing what many others were wearing".

I wouldn't be surprised if there is a lot more to come from this if they have let other fans in wearing Pompey gear - some no win no fee lawyer will be all over it for some free publicity and some compo....

[JulieH]

I policed the England u21 game at Ashton gate and saw lots of different club shirts , everyone welcome ! Saw one rovers shirt and at least two Swindon shirts randomly . 

Fans very happy and certainly started up a few conversations with others

[Akira]

7 minutes ago, JulieH said:

I policed the England u21 game at Ashton gate and saw lots of different club shirts , everyone welcome ! Saw one rovers shirt and at least two Swindon shirts randomly . 

Fans very happy and certainly started up a few conversations with others

As it should be aswell. Don't have a problem with other fans watching an international game in their team colours. If they then start vandalising or being a complete nause, then it's a different issue, but I'd like to think most people can wear colours with pride, and get along with some friendly rival banter. 

[ballwinningcentrehalf]

There were numerous Police reports sent out to late night venues in the city saying intelligence was warning of expected disorder between Southampton supporters and visiting Portsmouth fans, so I'm guessing that was probably a factor in this decision as well.

Not sure if any trouble materialised in the end and I expect anyone looking for some will probably save it for the upcoming cup game.

[sticks 1969]

Portsmouth always had quite a active following at England games , sound lads though 

[Redandwhitescarf]

2 hours ago, Isawjonshaw said:

right or wrong, this will add fuel to the up and coming derby between them!

Notice that the police have suggested that the new substitution rule (to leave the pitch at the nearest point) is suspended for this game so that players don’t come off at the away end.

[James54De]

5 minutes ago, Redandwhitescarf said:

Notice that the police have suggested that the new substitution rule (to leave the pitch at the nearest point) is suspended for this game so that players don’t come off at the away end.

Haven’t actually seen this rule in action yet. Pretty sure every substitution has resulted in the player leaving at the dugouts at Ashton gate. 

[Eddie Hitler]

4 hours ago, Robson said:

So if England played at Ashton Gate and a bloke was dressed up like a pirate wearing full blue and white quarters. Showing off he's a Bristol Rovers fan you wouldn't question it?

Never understood why fans wear club shirts to an England match. You are there to support England, not Portsmouth. 

I've seen the odd Arsenal shirt, for example, in the home end at Bristol City games, and I have worn an England shirt to Ashton Gate.

You are there to watch football; it isn't school with a set uniform to attend.

[Bristol Rob]

I remember when we played Rangers in that pre season game, and I saw at least two people wearing Celtic shirts.

There can only be two reasons for that;

Provocation.

Way behind on your washing.

I get that people would rather whoever they dislike lose, but you don't need to nail your colours to the mast so obviously.

Obviously, it was quite different when Colin Daniels gave as 'that day' the away end was wall-to-wall City shirt (I know this because the Fewers have said, so it must be true).

But in general terms, if we had an international at the Gate and someone wore a Fewers shirt, it really wouldn't bother me. I would assume we were both England fans. Albeit with me as the clearly better person!

[Northern Red]

47 minutes ago, James54De said:

Haven’t actually seen this rule in action yet. Pretty sure every substitution has resulted in the player leaving at the dugouts at Ashton gate. 

Can't remember who it was, but I saw someone get booked for not abiding by it in a PL game the other week.

[CotswoldRed]

5 hours ago, bristolcitysweden said:

I support great football and the greatest football is played between club teams with players independent of nationality.

A worldwide Champions League is the answer for the future & and the closing down of the spare time WC feeding corruption, trafficking and money laundring.     

The lower leagues don't have great football either. Do we close them down as well? 

[Topper 123]

3 hours ago, Eddie Hitler said:

I've seen the odd Arsenal shirt, for example, in the home end at Bristol City games, and I have worn an England shirt to Ashton Gate.

You are there to watch football; it isn't school with a set uniform to attend.

I’ve often sported a Arsenal shirt at city ground as are my second team but I agree with Southampton policy on the Pompey geezer as this can only be a act of provocation and had he got in ground I’m sure as a known celebrity at Pompey this would definitely been a problem 

[WhistleHappy]

Maybe England should play their games at Wembley - amazed nobodies thought of that before!   

Ban 'club' shirts, ...and, here's a good idea, how about allowing passionate club and England supporting fans to display St George flags with club names/logo's of their choice emblazoned on them instead.. ?   Why not??

Blimey, have I gotta think about everything around here or what? 

 

 

[Oh Louie louie]

There would have been 100s of portsmouth fans there.

Mr westwood isnt very good at keeping a low profile with his facial tats id wager.

 

[Guest]

6 hours ago, Oh Louie louie said:

There would have been 100s of portsmouth fans there.

Mr westwood isnt very good at keeping a low profile with his facial tats id wager.

 

Don't think he has any face tattoos, certainly doesn't have any visible ones in the photo of what he actually wore to the game. Just some ropey transfers that he puts on for Pompey games I expect.

[westred1]

Club shirts at internationals - shouldn’t be anything wrong with it

Any club shirt other than City in the home end for a City game - plain wrong

[myol'man]

31 minutes ago, wood_red said:

Don't think he has any face tattoos, certainly doesn't have any visible ones in the photo of what he actually wore to the game. Just some ropey transfers that he puts on for Pompey games I expect.

 

14 minutes ago, westred1 said:

Club shirts at internationals - shouldn’t be anything wrong with it

Any club shirt other than City in the home end for a City game - plain wrong

A; He's banned from St. Marys for urinating in public

B; The long black leather coat he was wearing to cover up his Pompey shirt also had a Pompey badge on it

C; The bloke's a ****!

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, myol'man said:

 

A; He's banned from St. Marys for urinating in public

B; The long black leather coat he was wearing to cover up his Pompey shirt also had a Pompey badge on it

C; The bloke's a ****!

Surely if that is the case then the Southampton statement would say so, and making him look like a right muppet in the process for bringing the situation to the media? All they have said is it was because he was wearing Portsmouth shirt/badge etc - A Southampton FC statement said: ‘The police and safety plan around the game stipulated that any fan in this scenario would not be admitted for safety and security reasons.

[westred1]

17 minutes ago, myol'man said:

 

A; He's banned from St. Marys for urinating in public

B; The long black leather coat he was wearing to cover up his Pompey shirt also had a Pompey badge on it

C; The bloke's a ****!

I don’t disagree that he’s a belter! And if he is banned from the stadium for urinating on the seats then glad they got rid of the horrible bastard.

My point about shirts was a general one. He’s an obvious exception

[BRISTOL86]

When did common sense become so scarce? Bloke’s a tit - went looking for attention and got it. 

Club shirts to internationals are completely fine, but if it’s being hosted at the home of your bitter rivals then a bit of common sense goes a long way. 

[AshtonPark]

Any grown men wearing replica shirts to games should be turned away anyway.

 

[Nogbad the Bad]

1 hour ago, AshtonPark said:

Any grown men wearing replica shirts to games should be turned away anyway.

 

Bit hard on the players....

[Norn Iron]

I know we are in the year 2019 but until the 1990s, it was the 'thing' to wear your own team shirt to watch England.  

I do remember wearing an England shirt to all the Euro 96 matches at Wembley apart from the Final when I reverted to a City top!

[phantom]

For anyone unsure who is being discussed 

[Natchfever]

19 hours ago, Never to the dark side said:

I think John Westwood is the Portsmouth follower who make sure he knows every one knows he is a Portsmouth fan.

He was turned away from St Marys for wearing his Pompey shirt.

I thought as England were hiring the stadium,it was England stadium for the game.

Saints have made a statement saying they are right,at the time posting the FA have not said anything.

So if go to an England game,  I am not allowed to wear a Bristol City shirt?

Loved to know how many turned up wearing other club colours.

FA do yourself a favour,supply free transport for the next home game as well as a match day ticket/s

Publicity seeking ****.

Most Pompey I know consider him a bigger bell than the one he insists on ringing all game.

[Portland Bill]

15 hours ago, Redandwhitescarf said:

Notice that the police have suggested that the new substitution rule (to leave the pitch at the nearest point) is suspended for this game so that players don’t come off at the away end.

That is the general rule anyway. 

Referees have been told to be aware of this in all games. 

[Sweeneys Penalties]

all in all it sounds like a "warm up" for the Pompey v Saints Carabao Cup match on 24th September

[bakes]

I was at the game and saw a young lad walking to the ground with his girlfriend wearing a Pompey scarf wtf.

There was a hell of a lot of Kosovo fans in the home end, hope they are as tolerant as us in the return game!

[myol'man]

4 hours ago, wood_red said:

Surely if that is the case then the Southampton statement would say so, and making him look like a right muppet in the process for bringing the situation to the media? All they have said is it was because he was wearing Portsmouth shirt/badge etc - A Southampton FC statement said: ‘The police and safety plan around the game stipulated that any fan in this scenario would not be admitted for safety and security reasons.

It's on his own Wiki page;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Portsmouth_Football_Club_Westwood

[poland_exile]

the bloke is a menace. and frankly, anyone who can't keep their dick in their pants inside a stadium should get banned for life from every football ground in the country. 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, myol'man said:

It's on his own Wiki page;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Portsmouth_Football_Club_Westwood

I am not disputing it happened, what I don't see is why Southampton haven't banned him for life if that is/was the case and that would have been it. But they refused him entry due to his shirt (and badge), and it seems there were many Portsmouth fans wearing the same shirt in the crowd.

Regardless of anyones personal view of the bloke it seems they have just gone for him on his own - totally disregarding their own statement.

[poland_exile]

6 hours ago, myol'man said:

 

A; He's banned from St. Marys for urinating in public

B; The long black leather coat he was wearing to cover up his Pompey shirt also had a Pompey badge on it

C; The bloke's a ****!

spot on. If a gashead turned up to AG wearing some idiotic Rovers ensemble and a prior record for pissing on our stadium I would thoroughly expect much worse to happen to him than being politely turned away from the ground. Credit to Southampton for exercising such decorum and restraint!! 

[Oh Louie louie]

In johns defence that time we lost under gj near the end off the play off season, i felt like doing a lot worse.

 

[Sweeneys Penalties]

29 minutes ago, wood_red said:

I am not disputing it happened, what I don't see is why Southampton haven't banned him for life if that is/was the case and that would have been it. But they refused him entry due to his shirt (and badge), and it seems there were many Portsmouth fans wearing the same shirt in the crowd.

Regardless of anyones personal view of the bloke it seems they have just gone for him on his own - totally disregarding their own statement.

as I read it, the SFC statement says he was acting the big un outside the ground, and shouting and swearing at Saints fans. That being the case...what did he expect? He was also given "suitable words of advice" from SFC apparently before he ever traveled. If he chose to ignore everyone and revel in his own dick headedness, he'd need to accept the consequences. Frankly this sort of behaviour from a bloke lurching towards 60 years is ludicrous

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Sweeneys Penalties said:

as I read it, the SFC statement says he was acting the big un outside the ground, and shouting and swearing at Saints fans. That being the case...what did he expect? He was also given "suitable words of advice" from SFC apparently before he ever traveled. If he chose to ignore everyone and revel in his own dick headedness, he'd need to accept the consequences. Frankly this sort of behaviour from a bloke lurching towards 60 years is ludicrous

The only statement I have read which is from Southampton is above, unsure how that translates into he was shouting and swearing at Saints fans (no doubt they were shouting at him but that is ok because he's a bit of a knob)? I have no issue with him being turned away, but if it was for being banned for urinating on the seats then fair enough, if it was for shouting and swearing at Saints fans then fair enough - BUT surely if it was for any of that, the people who would have said so (and made a massive point of doing so) would be Southampton in their statement to knock it all on the head??

[phantom]

[weepywall]

19 hours ago, sticks 1969 said:

Portsmouth always had quite a active following at England games , sound lads though 

Fairly sure some Pompey lads used to come along to some City games occasionally, few years ago now though.

[hantsred]

4 hours ago, phantom said:

For anyone unsure who is being discussed 

and for balance this is what he looks like in the day in his bookshop. He used to live over the back of ours and is actually a really nice bloke. He attracts a fair amount because of his 'get-up' but to coin a phrase we shouldn't judge all books by their cover

[Guest]

On 12/09/2019 at 13:03, bakes said:

I was at the game and saw a young lad walking to the ground with his girlfriend wearing a Pompey scarf wtf.

There was a hell of a lot of Kosovo fans in the home end, hope they are as tolerant as us in the return game!

I was at the game as well.

first club shirt I saw was a gas shirt, dad and son together by the look of it. Didn’t see any City shirts, some Liverpool and Man Utd.

as you say lots of Kosovo fans in all areas of the ground, many sporting Albania scarves. Had a chat outside the ground to a couple, spoke perfect English, they had driven from Germany where they lived.

Apparently not many from Kosovo itself because of visa problems (don’t know if that was true).

Also saw three different people bringing pints into the stand and drinking them.

only saw one drunk, and yes he sat right next to me, later moving after his mates moved away from him, no problem, just pissed as a fart.

Great game for the fans, awful game for the coach. We have no chance of progressing in the finals defending as we did.

[RoystonFoote'snephew]

Don't see the shirts are relevant. Any club is free to prevent anyone entering their ground if they feel they present any threat to safety or security, not that they have to give a reason. As for John Westwood, if he was refused entry due to wearing a Pompey shirt, is the first time he was seen wearing one. All I've ever seen him wear are his tattoos, a gillet and a blue and white 'dicky mint' hat. 

[San Fran City]

On 12/09/2019 at 16:33, hantsred said:

and for balance this is what he looks like in the day in his bookshop. He used to live over the back of ours and is actually a really nice bloke. He attracts a fair amount because of his 'get-up' but to coin a phrase we shouldn't judge all books by their cover

After being aware of him for the last 30 odd years of following City, I had no idea! I suddenly really like him. Thanks for sharing 

[San Fran City]

Due to working in Japan at the time, I bagged top corporate tickets for England Argentina in 2002 at Sapporo Dome. When we took our seats,in a very neutral zone of the ground,, I was amazed to see that we were sat next to 2 Gash lads. After a brief introduction, we then proceeded to ignore each other all game, even being the only 4 people losing the plot when Becks scored and when final whistle went. Had a lovely clear conscience when I finally went to sleep that night. 

[BCFC11]

On 12/09/2019 at 08:26, westred1 said:

Club shirts at internationals - shouldn’t be anything wrong with it

Any club shirt other than City in the home end for a City game - plain wrong

Agree with you on the no other clubs shirts other than City etc but have absolutely no idea why any full grown adult would chose to wear their clubs shirt to an England international!?! Especially this oddball of a Pompey fan going to St Mary’s of all places in Pompey colours, he’s just asking for trouble and imo Southampton were well within their rights to deny him entry by putting them in a difficult position, and going from what I’ve seen of this supporter he’s not exactly the quietest of fans even without that ridiculous cowbell, so done the correct thing to ensure his and the supporters who’d of been around him safety.

[Redandwhitescarf]

8 minutes ago, BCFC11 said:

Agree with you on the no other clubs shirts other than City etc but have absolutely no idea why any full grown adult would chose to wear their clubs shirt to an England international!?! Especially this oddball of a Pompey fan going to St Mary’s of all places in Pompey colours, he’s just asking for trouble and imo Southampton were well within their rights to deny him entry by putting them in a difficult position, and going from what I’ve seen of this supporter he’s not exactly the quietest of fans even without that ridiculous cowbell, so done the correct thing to ensure his and the supporters who’d of been around him safety.

I think it was his previous behaviour at St Mary’s that led to him being banned