MarkSanderson

Yes, Terry Paine mentioned Roy Lunniss! Bobby's era was a very different one from today. Paulsgrove was very much home to him and he continued to live there until his mid twenties when he bought a place in Southsea. So as far as Paulsgrove residents were concerned he was one of them. He took his cup winning medal back to the pubs in Paulsgrove on the Sunday night after the Saturday cup final. 500 people turned up and held street parties. Bobby's family gave me some great photos you can see here http://bobbystokesbook.com/2016/01/28/the-day-portsmouth-celebrated-a-southampton-goal/ It's difficult to imagine JWP popping in to a Portsmouth pub for swift half. Or even having a swift half at all.

Hi everyone, Thanks for spreading the word Rich. Bobby would get the train back to his place in Southsea after a Saints game. He'd even stop off for a beer in Guildhall Walk in Pompey on the way home, often with then PFC player Keith Viney. This after his FA Cup Final winner. I wouldn't fancy Mick Channon's chances of doing that in the same era. But 'Fan the flames' raises a good point, as when the rivalry became what it is today is a bit of a grey area. Denis Hollywood played in the derbies in the 60s and told me that sure, you wanted to win, but the atmosphere on the terraces wasn't as nasty as it later became. Terry Paine agrees. I spoke to the son of Ron Reynolds, a Saints keeper we got from Spurs in 1960. He lived in Portsmouth and his son went to school in Portsmouth, (as well as playing Pompey schoolboys with Bobby) and he said he didn't get much grief for his Saints conections. Somehow there was a sea change whereby we went up to division one in 66 and they stuttered. The general consensus from Pompey's end is that Saints hadn't struggled enough to earn the right to play top flight football. That the consistent low crowds, or what they called low crowds, didn't merit first division football. Either way, there's a bit of a chip on the shoulder on some PFC fans on the subject. But by the mid 70s things had changed, use effectively relegating them down to div 3 in 76 with Mick Channon's late goal probably stoked the fires. Throughout the 1980s Bobby would go and watch both teams. Perhaps the biggest grief he got was when playing for Pompey in 77/78 when they got relegated to div 4. But Paul Gilchrist bore most of the fan's brunt in that season. I also found out PFC chairman Ian McInnes grew up with Bobby in Paulsgrove. We were in touch over email and once he found out I was a Saints fan he invited me to Fratton Park, although he was worried the atmosphere might be a bit much for me. We had a bit of banter about that. Anyway, enough of me rambling. Hoping to do a book signing at St.Mary's on April 30. Will keep you all posted. All the best, Mark