Pompey to report Campbell abuse

PORTSMOUTH yesterday confirmed they will make an official complaint to the FA over the abuse Sol Campbell received during Sunday’s match against the defender’s former club Tottenham.

The Pompey captain was subjected to abuse from the terraces during his team’s 2-0 Barclays Premier League victory at Fratton Park.

The south coast club confirmed on their website: “After discussions with Sol Campbell, we will be making an official complaint to the Football Association concerning the verbal abuse aimed at him during Sunday’s match against Tottenham.”

Campbell, 34, is a hate figure for Spurs fans after he moved to their bitter north London rivals Arsenal in 2001.

Hampshire police confirmed on Wednesday they would investigate alleged racist and homophobic abuse aimed at the player.

Pompey’s statement yesterday continued: “Both Sol and the club feel no player should be subjected to personal abuse of this nature and that it has no place in football.

“The club will be urging the FA to look into this as a matter of urgency and will co-operate fully in any investigations which take place, either by the FA or by Hampshire Police.”

Hampshire Police initially said they would report the matter to the FA because it was not possible to make arrests due to the sheer numbers chanting.

However, a spokeswoman said the force had received one complaint about the abuse and that it would be investigated.

Meanwhile, Peter Crouch admitted he “did not have a clue” that the first of his two goals against Vitoria Guimaraes which helped Portsmouth through to the group stages of the UEFA Cup on Thursday night was also his 100th in club football.

And the 27-year-old striker, who Liverpool so often left on the substitutes bench before he was sold to Pompey for £11million (14.1m) in the summer, has vowed to double that tally for his new club and win back his England place.

He could be in luck with the latter when Fabio Capello names his squad for next week’s World Cup qualifier double-header against Kazakhstan and Belarus, but Crouch insists he is putting Pompey first at the moment.

Crouch said: “I didn’t know about it being the 100th goal, I didn’t have a clue but it’s nice to reach that landmark and I’ve plenty of games left in me to score a lot more — maybe even another ton.

“It would be great to do that for Portsmouth — another 100 even. I’m hopefully going to play nearly every game here and I always thought Jermain (Defoe) and I together would get lots of goals.

“I think Jermain has got five already this season and those two in Portugal took me to four. It was great for me as well getting that one against Tottenham last Sunday. It always is to get your first home goal.

“And it has revitalised my career coming to Portsmouth —from somewhere where the team was always being chopped and changed.

“I’m going to get lots of opportunities here and I’m at the stage now where I want to play as much as I can.’’