Exclusive:'They aren't supporting any of us': Local non-league clubs reeling after Portsmouth pre-season snub
The Hawks, Gosport and Bognor have been regular pre-season opposition for decades
Pompey have snubbed their traditional friendlies against non-league neighbours this summer.
And it leaves Hawks, Gosport and Bognor counting the devastating cost of losing annual money-spinning fixtures so pivotal to club finances.
Pre-season trips to the trio have long formed the backbone of the Blues’ pre-season schedule, proving popular with local supporters and essential in boosting non-league coffers.
However, John Mousinho’s men have rejected facing them in the build-up to the 2026-27 Championship campaign.
The News understands Pompey’s reticence to play on 3G pitches is behind the decision, with all three clubs now operating on artificial playing surfaces.
Nonetheless, the impact will be hugely felt by the disappointed three clubs.
‘It’s hugely disappointing for Gosport’
Gosport secretary Craig Stainton told The News: ‘We contacted Pompey back in March to find out if and when we could sort out a friendly. The club came back and said they weren’t sorting it out until after the end of the season.
‘I have since chased them and received an email last week saying that unfortunately this year they cannot play us.
‘It’s hugely disappointing for Gosport that the senior ranking club is not supporting any of the local clubs, not even the ex-chairman of Pompey who helped save them.
‘If I put my other head on, as a director of the Southern League, it is very disappointing. If you look across the country, all the senior clubs around are supporting their local clubs.
‘I understand we’ve all got 3G pitches, which they may not like, but it’s not as if they don’t use 3G pitches. Perhaps they could rotate the three of us, but they’re not supporting anybody.
‘We would make £20,000-plus from a Pompey friendly - and it’s really disappointing that a man like Iain McInnes isn’t being supported by Portsmouth Football Club after what he did for that club.’
Gosport and Bognor did not feature in the Blues’ pre-season schedule last summer due to ongoing work to install 3G pitches.
They did, however, face the Hawks in July 2025, with a young Pompey side being held to a goalless draw against Shaun North’s men.
Although the bulk of the first-team were in action the following day against Brighton’s Under-21s in a behind-closed-doors fixture at the Seagulls’ training ground.
‘This game can pay the club’s whole wage bill for a month’
Hawks general manager Gary Pratt added: ‘We have asked Pompey for a date, the last time was a month ago, but we haven’t heard anything since.
‘The problem we’ve got is our (pre-season) calendar is now done, so we would have to let someone down to let Pompey come in. Of course, we would always make room for Pompey because of the financial needs of the game.
‘It would set us back big time if they don’t play us. That game can pay the whole club’s wage bill for a month, so it is needed.
‘We know John Mousinho isn’t a fan of the pitch, I think that's clear to say, although all of their players were training here pre-season last year when Shaun North was our manager.
‘Obviously we’ve had that long relationship with them, but the honest answer is I don’t know whether we’ll play them ‘
Pompey are still to release details of their summer friendlies, although Aldershot have revealed they will host the Championship side on Wednesday, July 15.
Meanwhile, Moneyfields have announced they will entertain the Blues on Tuesday, July 28 (7.45pm), although that will be a Pompey XI and won’t involve first-team performers.
‘I do not know the rationale’
Bognor chairman Jack Pearce said: ‘I have tried contacting Pompey with no luck whatsoever, so I would imagine we are not playing them.
‘I do not know the rationale. I’ve sent a couple of emails, because there has been all the uncertainty there over the manager, I have decided to bother them too much.
‘They have not come back to us with anything and I don’t want to criticise them because they have been ever so good to us over the years.
‘I was born 500 yards from the ground, I’ve supported them all my life, so I’m not going to criticise anybody. I’ve had no reaction to any of the emails I’ve sent, so we’ve just got on with it, presuming they are unavailable.’
When contacted by The News, Pompey declined to comment.