Charleston to play Portsmouth?

A recent online article in a Portsmouth newspaper Pompey boss Steve Cotterill seems to suggest a pre-season tour of the US with a week-long stop and a match in Charleston and a week in Orlando.


"If it all comes together, we could be based in Orlando and Charleston, a week in each, which would be really good," said Cotterill in the article.  "Hopefully, there will be three games sorted out – one in Charleston, two in Orlando."

Portsmouth are currently sitting in 16th position in the English League Championship (Division 2) table after being relegated from the EPL last season almost certainly a direct result of being docked nine points for financial issues.  The club nearly went into liquidation in October of 2010 but was saved by a last minute deal.

John Portsmouth Football Club Westwood

Charleston currently has the weekend of July 16 free of any match games and club president, Andrew Bell said in an interview on this blog in October that they were interested in bringing over another English team during the summer.

But as of now the Battery are keeping quite.

"We are still looking at several possibilities for a summer exhibition; we enjoyed hosting Bolton Wanderers last July and would love to do something similar again." said Andrew Bell when asked about the potential match.  "At the moment, there is nothing definite planned."


Portsmouth typically brings good traveling support, including the famous John Portsmouth Football Club Westwood.  Westwood, who legally changed his name in 1989, can be recognized by his large stove pipe hat, blue curly wig, more than 60 Portsmouth tattoos and by the sound of his bells at Portsmouth matches around the world.

Pompey are rebuilding since their relegation and financial woes and have a very storied history and strong support.   While not as high profiled as Chelsea or Manchester United, it certainly is a club that would be a good match for the Battery.