Opinion: Portsmouth fans offer up their best Jim Smith starting XIs

There’s plenty of love for Jim Smith and the players who wore the royal blue for him during his 1990s spell at Fratton Park.

There’s also plenty of different players being placed in your best XIs from those days – including an interesting submission from Chris H (@CPH76Hawkon Twitter) who suggested Alan Knight and 10 Vince Hilaires.

Former Pompey boss Jim Smithplaceholder image
Former Pompey boss Jim Smith

When I pointed out Hilaire had left well before the Bald Eagle arrived, Chris pointed out: ‘Vince Hilaire transcends time and rules.’

To others’ teams, and Neil Monnery opts for: Knight, Neill, Awford, Symons, Beresford, Anderton, Burns, McLoughlin, Wigley, Whittingham, Walsh.

Neil adds: ‘Sad I couldn't get Johnny Lager in but Whittingham & Walsh are the biggest no-brainers out there.’

There's a 5-3-2 team from Ben Humph: Knight, Beresford, Symons, Awford, Butters, Neill, Kuhl, McLoughlin, Burns, Whittingham, Walsh.

Subs: Anderton, Daniel, Clarke, Chamberlain, Powell (and obviously Georgie Lawrence for the last five minutes to hold the ball in the corner!).

Stephen Rose goes with: Knight, Daniel, Symons, Awford, Neill, Anderton, Kuhl, Macca, Chamberlain, Walsh, Whittingham.

Luke Ellis says: ‘This is hard for me as I was a mascot in 92 - but from what I remember - Knight, Beresford, Symons, Awford, Neill, Hall, McLoughlin, Chamberlain, Anderton, Walsh, Whittingham.

Tom Evans agrees with Luke's choice but says he’d have liked to found room for Colin Clarke.

Tweeter @pompeyIsa wants to get Daryl Powell into the XI, while Steve Roberts slots John Beresford in at left-back – and adds a bench of Ray Daniel, Warren Aspinall, John Durnin and Guy Butters.

Keep the line-ups coming – more next week, then we switch to a different era.

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