POMPEY NOT ECLIPSED

I know this is the 12th but this one is too good to miss....On the 11th August 1999, England experienced a total eclipse of the sun and a "1st leg" match in the west country, a Worthington Cup game (League Cup) between Torquay United and Portsmouth at Plainmoor had to be postponed. This was not anything to do with "darkness", which of course would not last for long, it was the local police force who decided they could not cope with large crowds turning up in the area to watch the eclipse and the match. Football lost! The west country is the "best place


to view the eclipse", apparently- yes the path of the eclipse is shown here....bit of astronomy for you! It was due to pass over Devon around midday.


The previous eclipse had been on June 29th 1927, a year that the FA Cup left England for the first and only time.......remember?

The "once in a lifetime experience" didn't upset the cup fixture for long as Pompey played the 1st leg match on the 17th at Torquay, drawing 0-0 and then won 3-0 in the 2nd leg tie on the 24th.
In Round Two they lost 1-6 in the two legged tie against Blackburn Rovers. Alan Ball started a manager that season to be replaced by Tony Pulis in December, who save them from relegation, finishing 18th.

Tomorrow...... the "Glorious Twelfth"....no its not!