It’s a day that will forever be in Pompey Folklore.
Set amid a backdrop of winding-up petitions, High Court summonses, Premier League points deductions, big money exits and no league wins in seven, Avram Grant’s bottom-placed side were poised for a hiding for nothing when they travelled to fierce south-coast rivals Southampton in the fifth round of the FA Cup on February 13, 2010.
However, the team that day returned home as supreme heroes as they provided the Fratton faithful some much-needed respite from the turmoil that was engulfing the club.
Goals from loanee Quincy Owusu-Abeyie (66 minutes), Aruna Dindane (75), Nadir Belhadj (82) and Jamie O’Hara (85) put Southampton to the sword and reaffirmed who was and remains the biggest club in Hampshire - regardless of the above-mentioned drama.
Incredibly, more than 15 years have now passed since that unbelievable day, with the Blues’ win remaining their only victory at St Mary’s.
Of course, there’s not been that many trips since - two, in fact, which have both resulted in draws.
But as Pompey prepare to set off for St Mary’s for a second successive year on Sunday, October 11, we’ve decided to have a look at where their 2010 heroes are now.
It’s taken a bit of digging, but here’s where you can find the starting XI and goalscores from that day now!
For your next Pompey read: 35 cracking retro images of Portsmouth fans celebrating victories against Southampton
1. Jamie O'Hara, left, celebrates scoring Pompey's fourth goal with his Blues team-mates in their famous 4-1 victory over Southampton in the 2010 FA Cup fifth round.
Jamie O'Hara, left, celebrates scoring Pompey's fourth goal with his Blues team-mates in their famous 4-1 victory over Southampton in the 2010 FA Cup fifth round. | AFP via Getty Images
2. David James
After leaving Pompey in 2010, the keeper went on to play for Bristol City, Bournemouth, IBV in Iceland under former Fratton Park team-mate Hermann Hreidarsson, and India's Kerala Blasters, whom he also managed for a period. James then successfully transitioned into the world of media, and has established himself as a prominent football pundit for the likes of BBC 5 Live and Sky Sports. Jamo also co-founded Football Rebooted to rehome used boots, and serves as an ambassador for Goal2Grow to keep football kits affordable. | Getty Images
3. Marc Wilson
The Republic of Ireland defender, who came through the ranks at Pompey, featured 49 times for the Blues before his Fratton Park departure at the end of the 2009-10 season. Now 39, he went ont to play for Stoke, Bournemouth, West Brom, Sunderland and Bolton, before accepting a player-coach role with Þróttur Vogum in Iceland alongside Hermann Hreidarsson. Wilson officially retired from football in 2022 and has since stepped away from the spotlight. | AFP via Getty Images
4. Papa Bouba Diop
The Pompey FA Cup winner tragically died in 2020 following a long illness, aged just 42. Joining the Blues from Fulham in 2007, The Wardrobe featured 72 times for the club before his move to AEK Athens. The Senegal international's last game for Pompey was the FA Cup final defeat to Chelsea in 2010. | Steve Reid