From Portsmouth season-ticket holder to Southampton hero - but James Ward-Prowse hasn't forgotten his past
The 11-capped England international and Southampton player began his football career at East Lodge
James Ward-Prowse is depicted in an all-white strip, primarily to avoid upsetting those of Pompey persuasion.
The Southampton midfielder’s image proudly adorns the outside of East Lodge Youth’s clubhouse as a tribute to their most famous son.
The England man’s career began at the hugely-respected Farlington-based club during days when he was a Fratton Park season-ticket holder. For a period, he was also on the books of the Blues’ under-nines.
Now aged 31, Ward-Prowse is set to line up against John Mousinho’s men on Sunday for the south-coast derby.
Former Oaklands School pupil
It will be the third occasion the former Oaklands Catholic School pupil will have faced the club he used to cheer from the Fratton End, in a career which has earned him 11 England caps and two international goals.
After leaving St Mary’s in 2023 and turning out for Nottingham Forest, West Ham and Burnley, Ward-Prowse returned in August for a reported £800,000.
To date, he has totalled 416 appearances and 56 goals for Southampton - and Sunday will be the first time he has faced the Blues on home soil.
‘I think it's disappointing to go into that break now off the back of a difficult result, but I think it gives us a chance to reflect and analyse.
‘We need to make sure that we fine-tune a few things ahead of a big game.
‘It's a good game to go and show a reaction in. So, yes, I'm sure as a group, nearer the time, we'll fine-tune and be ready for that.’
£15,000 donation to East Lodge Youth
Despite crossing the divide, Ward-Prowse hasn’t forgotten his East Lodge roots and, in 2018 when contacted about the possibility of a donation towards the transformation of a dilapidated storage building at their home, the midfielder contributed £15,000.
What’s more, he also attended the November 2018 unveiling, along with his partner, baby son and parents.
‘His idol was David Beckham and copied him all the time when practising his free-kicks.
‘I would tell him he needed a little bit more than taking the kicks and crossing, there's more to a game than just crossing the ball, you have to be more physical.
‘Recently we’ve been trying to find the money to change this old building falling to bits with an asbestos roof into a club house, containing a meeting room, store room and a couple of dressing rooms.
‘Jamie donated £15,000 - and to thank him a mural was created on the building.
‘He even turned up with his partner, baby son and parents for the launch. We’ve had people from Pompey at events always on their phone, they stay half-an-hour and want to go.
‘Jamie never got his phone out once, not once, and we had to remind him he’d been here for two-and-a-half hours!’.
Fratton Park mascot
Similarly, as a Southampton first-team player, Ward-Prowse returned to Oaklands in January 2016 as a guest at the school’s annual Presentation of Certificates evening.
There was a time when Ward-Prowse would accompany dad, John, and brother, Ben, to Fratton Park matches.
The brothers were even mascots on one occasion, with a four-year-old James listing Andy Awford as his favourite player in the club programme.
Now, having featured against Pompey on the opening day of the season for West Ham in the Carabao Cup, he will again face them on Sunday - in Southampton colours.