When do Portsmouth and Southampton play? South coast derby dates revealed as Championship fixtures announced
Over the years, I think the south coast derby has established itself as one of the most bitter rivalries in football.
Sure, Liverpool and Manchester United despise one another, and the steel city derby always throws up some fireworks.
But in terms of genuine hatred - which without exception spills over into violence - there are few rivalries that could compare to that of Portsmouth and Southampton.
The rivalry between the two clubs stems from historically being the best clubs on the south coast, situated just 19 miles apart. Fans have nicknames for one another - Portsmouth fans calling Southampton fans “scummers” while they call the Portsmouth fans “skates”.
When football hooliganism became an issue in the 1970s, the rivalry well and truly kicked off; it’s not uncommon for fans from both teams to be arrested whenever the two sides meet.
Now, with both clubs in the Championship, that rivalry is set to resume once again this coming season.
When did the two clubs last meet?
The most recent clash between the two sides was in the 2019 Carabao Cup, with the game being held at Fratton Park. Southampton won that game 4-0, with Danny Ings scoring two goals, followed by contributions from Cedric Soares and Nathan Redmond.
After the match, tensions between fans spilled over into violence outside the ground; despite a massive police presence from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, a massive brawl broke out which took officers more than an hour to break up.
Flares were set off, around half a dozen people were arrested on the spot and a police horse, Luna, was punched by a fan.
When do Portsmouth and Southampton play this season?
With the release of the EFL Championship fixtures for the upcoming season, we now know when the Portsmouth vs Southampton feud will be reignited.
Their first clash will come early in the season, with Southampton hosting their first meeting at St Mary’s Stadium on Saturday, September 13 - which will be the fourth game of the season.
Portsmouth will have the home advantage for the return fixture, which has been scheduled for Saturday, January 14.