Road to Wembley - Pompey unusual facts

Play up Pompey, our team for Saturday's final. Here are some things about Harry Redknapp's team you may not have known:

1) Fratton Park is one of the most atmospheric stadiums in the Premier League. It has slowly undergone some redevelopment but still looks a bit past it. That's probably because Pompey have played there since 1888!

2) They hope to move to a new ground in 2011

3) Pompey almost went bankrupt in 1999 and to save money, the cash-strapped club cancelled their weekly order of new jockstraps, a move which would save £112. Administrator Tom Burton ordered the club to wash them instead of buying new ones.

4) The origins of the 'Pompey Chimes' lies with the Royal Artillery, Portsmouth's most popular and successful football team for much of the 1890s, who played many of their home games at the United Services ground in Burnaby Road. The nearby Guildhall clock would strike the quarter hours and the referees would use the clock to let them know when the match should finish at 4pm. Just before 4pm the crowd would lilt in unison with the chimes of the hour to encourage the referee to blow the whistle signifying full time.

5) Portsmouth have won the FA Cup before. In 1939 they beat Wolves 4-1. During the 2nd World War, the competition was suspended, so Pompey retained the cup until 1946.

6) Portsmouth badge (above) dates back for 800 years. The coat of arms was given to the city in 1194 by King Richard I.

7) San Diego has a fully fledged Pompey supporters club with over 100 members.

8) Goalkeeper Alan Knight holds the record for the most appearances for one club by a goalkeeper. He played 801 games Portsmouth between 1978 and 2000. This beat easily Peter Bonetti's previous record of 600 goalkeeping appearances for Chelsea.

9) After Harry Redknapp left in November 2004 to take over at bitter rivals Southampton, 3 different managers (Velimir Zajec, Alain Perrin and Joe Jordan) took the helm before Redknapp rejoined just 13 months later.

10) If you have been to Fratton Park, you cannot help to get bloody annoyed by a bell that is rung by a fan all game long. The man responsible is John "Portsmouth Football Club" Westwood. That's not a nickname, he actually changed his name to Portsmouth Football Club and I've actually had a beer with him in a pub before a Pompey v Charlton game, and he is a fookin nutter!