Thousands celebrate FA Cup glory

Portsmouth fans on Southsea Common celebrate Kanu's goal

Tens of thousands of football fans were celebrating in Portsmouth on Saturday after Pompey lifted the FA Cup for the first time in 69 years.

Some 25,000 supporters headed to Wembley to see their team beat Cardiff City 1-0, while another 60,000 watched on a big screen on Southsea Common.

But thousands of Cardiff fans were left disappointed after their team's bid to win the Cup for the second time failed.

Some 1,200 police were drafted in to ensure the match passed off peacefully.

Officers were on duty to manage the crowds and British Transport Police officers travelled on trains to London from Cardiff and Portsmouth.

The match came three days after Rangers fans and police in Manchester clashed following the Uefa Cup final.

Both Portsmouth and Cardiff had sold their allocation of 25,000 Wembley tickets and more fans headed to the capital to soak up the atmosphere in bars and pubs.

Victory parade

Some 60,000 more Portsmouth supporters - three times as many as had been expected - gathered to watch the match at the big screen in the city for their team's first FA Cup final since 1939.

Meanwhile, in Cardiff, up to 7,000 fans who could not make the game were able to watch all the action on a big screen in Roald Dahl Plas in Cardiff Bay.

Thousands braved the chill on Southsea Common to see Pompey win

A Portsmouth team victory parade will take place on Sunday in the south coast city.

The side's only FA Cup triumph prior to Saturday was a 4-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1939.

Earlier, the match ball was presented by Portsmouth's near non-league neighbours Havant and Waterlooville Football Club.

The Hawks had surprised many to reach the FA Cup fourth round where they lost 4-2 to Premier League Liverpool.

Portsmouth goal-keeping legend Alan Knight MBE, who played more than 800 games for the club, is now a coach at Havant and Waterlooville.

"I'm a little bit envious [of those playing]," he said.

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