Pompey Supporters Welcome Cup Back to South Coast

Tens of thousands of Portsmouth supporters descended on to the city's streets today to salute their FA Cup winning team. Fans lined the streets five or six deep in places to cheer manager Harry Redknapp and his players, who beat Cardiff 1-0 in yesterday's final at Wembley.

The players, staff and families and the Cup were on three open-top buses that snaked through the city center. Fans hung from windows, lamp posts, and even took over a busy roundabout to say thanks for the success. The victory parade is in stark contrast to ugly scenes witnessed in Manchester last week when a minority of Rangers fans went on the rampage after their side lost the Uefa Cup final.

Neither Portsmouth nor the city council contemplated canceling the victory parade in the light of the troubles, even though Manchester city council has said it will not allow Manchester United a similar event if they win the Champions League final on Wednesday

Hampshire police said they arrested only 10 people yesterday for public disorder and assault offenses, and they thanked the fans for their behavior.

Kieran Matthews, 32, from Hilsea, and his sons David, 11, and Daniel, seven, said they did not go to the game at Wembley yesterday, but his sons pleaded with him to come and cheer on the route of the parade. "Because it's been 70 years since the last time we won anything, I thought I'd better come because, at the present rate, I'll be dead and gone and my kids are going to be old men before we get another chance," he said. "But seriously, it's a great achievement for the city and the club, which has had some hard times before Harry turned up, so we thought we'd come and give them a cheer."

Elsie Phillips, 68, from Portsmouth, added: "I was too young to remember the last time, but my father always used to talk about it because Pompey held the Cup over the war years. I never thought I'd see the day when the team would lift it again, and I'm so happy."