'Different class' Portsmouth fans were key to West Brom's Premiership survival - and relegating Southampton
Pompey fans have been told they were a 'different class’ when West Brom pulled off their Great Escape in 2005.
The Blues travelled to The Hawthorns on the final day of the 2004-05 season with their Premiership status already secured.
However, there was still a four-way relegation battle ongoing, with just two points separating the Baggies, Crystal Palace, Southampton and Norwich.
Despite starting the day at the foot of the table, West Brom stayed up in remarkable circumstances.
Goals from Geoff Horsfield and Kieran Richardson delivered Bryan Robson's men a 2-0 win which propelled them out of the drop zone – and much to the delight of the travelling Fratton faithful in the midlands.
Blues fans sang ‘Play Up Baggies’ as bitter-rivals Southampton fell to a 2-1 defeat at home to Manchester United, which would see them finish bottom of the table and relegated.
West Brom’s survival was rated better than Pompey’s brilliant feat the following year in a recent poll ran by the BBC.
And Robson believes the Baggies couldn’t have survived without the vociferous visiting supporters.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said: ‘The Pompey fans were different class.
‘I'd never been so relieved than when Kieran scored but the hush in the stadium brought a nervousness to the players. When the Portsmouth fans sang it got our support going too.’