Portsmouth v York City: Minstermen aim to impress crowd-pullers Pompey

NIGEL WORTHINGTON has urged his York City side to “embrace the occasion” as they prepare to run out in front of comfortably the club’s biggest crowd of the season.
Nigel Worthington.Nigel Worthington.
Nigel Worthington.

The Minstermen take on Portsmouth at Fratton Park looking to extend the run of form that has taken the Yorkshire outfit from the relegation zone to the race for the play-offs.

With Pompey’s average crowd this term being 15,236, York’s previous highest gate of 9,018 – set for the November visit to Southend United – will be eclipsed.

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Worthington said: “Fratton Park is a great place to play and there will be a great atmosphere, I am certain of that. Portsmouth have had some big crowds all season long.

“It is important that we take all that on board and make sure we enjoy the occasion. To play in front of big crowds is what every professional should crave.

“We have been on a good run and we want to keep that going.”

Pompey sit fourth bottom of the Football League just six years on from lifting the FA Cup.

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Worthington added: “There has been a change of manager during the season and it always takes a new man time to make the changes he wants. I would imagine Portsmouth are still finding their feet as he looks to bring in his own players.”

Last week’s win over Wycombe Wanderers took York beyond the 51-point target their manager had set to assure safety. Despite that, Worthington is refusing to get carried away.

He said: “I am not looking at the play-offs. Instead, it is one game at a time. Nothing more. If we take our eye off that, we are in danger of losing our way. We have reached our first goal and the second one now is to take as many of the 27 points that are available. If we do that, the rest can take care of itself.”