Pompey Liverpool Eleven

Ryan Fulton

With keepers Brian Murphy and Paul Jones sidelined by injury Pompey brought in the Liverpool youth keeper on a one-month loan. His senior debut came the day after he signed as he was thrust immediately into the action in a home game against Oxford United. There was no clean sheet as the Blues went down to the solitary goal of the game. Fulton, however, did save a penalty with the game at 0-0. He’s currently between the sticks at Scottish glamour club Hamilton Academical.

Chris Lawler

Right-back Lawler won three League and two FA Cup winners’ medals during a 15-year career at Anfield - during his short spell at Fratton Park, on the other hand, he barely won a tackle. To be fair he was just helping his mate out, Ian St John, and was playing in a pretty average Pompey side at the time.

Djimi Traore

Wheeler-dealer Harry Redknapp forked out a cool million for the services of the Champions League winner. For this not inconsiderable layout he got 13 shaky defensive performances and very little else. No mention of Traore is complete without reference to his spectacular own goal while playing for Liverpool against Burnley in the Cup in 2005 (Google it).

Gregory Vignal

Signed from Liverpool after a semi-successful loan at Rangers, would-be marauding full-back Gregory Vignal made 14 largely anonymous appearances for the Blues during the 2005-06 season. Harry was unimpressed and the Frenchman return to his native country for a spell at FC Lens.

Jermaine Pennant

Earlier in his career Pennant was forced to play with an electronic tag down his sock after a drink-driving offence. When he arrived on loan at Pompey for the second half of the 2008-09 season he played as though he had half a dozen of them tucked down both socks. 13 games, no goals.

Bobby Campbell

Born and bred Liverpudlian Campbell is best known to most Blues fans as the manager who led Pompey to the Third Division title in 1982-83. He’s also the man who persuaded Mark Hateley for us. What’s more, after being moved on by his hometown club he spent five seasons at Fratton as a player making 64 league appearances and scoring a couple of goals.

John McLaughlin

No, not John McLaughlin the guitarist and leader of the Mahavishu Orchestra and not even the John McLaughlin the full-back we signed from Swindon in 1979, but John McLaughlin the midfielder who we took on loan from the Reds four years previously. This Johnny Mc failed to create an impression making only five appearances before succumbing to a knee injury.

Patrik Berger 

Now we’re talking. The Czech international made his first appearance for Pompey on the opening day of the 2003-04 Premier League season and calmed collective nerves by scoring the second goal in a 2-0 win against Aston Villa. Berger was a class act throughout his stay at Fratton Park, peaking with that goal at Charlton away.

Peter Crouch

The lovable beanpole spent one season at Pompey in his second spell at the club after rejoining from the Reds. He scored 16 from 46 appearances, including four in the UEFA Cup, and briefly formed the definitive ‘little and large’ partnership up front with short-arse Jermaine Defoe.

Dan Cunliffe 

Pompey and Liverpool have been trading players since the 19th century and inside forward Dan Cunliffe joined (via New Brighton Tower) way back in 1899. Dan scored on his debut against that lot down the road of his Fratton Park debut in a 2-0 win, then repeated the goal-scoring trick in the first ever competitive south coast derby played at the Dell in 1900. We like Dan.