A big one, and for lots of reasons. Pompey have sold out their allocation, which will inevitably bring a different atmosphere to the Kassam. This, their third season in the bottom tier, appears to be the first time they’ve managed to get off to a decent start. This could be the first genuine promotion contender we’ve faced this season; as opposed to a team that we think might be a contender.

In the context of our season, from the outset, this one was the fixture after which we could genuinely assess our own prospects for the year. With the defeat to Northampton still in the memory banks, the difference between going into that first checkpoint on the back of two defeats in a row, or alternatively, two wins in three, is vast.

Is Kemar Roofe fit? The club’s relative silence on this could be read two ways. On one hand, if Roofe is fit they would celebrate it to drive ticket sales and the good vibes that exist around the club these days. However, perhaps they’re keeping things under wraps as a tactical move in an attempt to spoil Pompey’s planning. The club is being built on being positive; and I’m not convinced Pompey would be making plans to accommodate Roofe specifically, anyway, so my guess is that we won’t be seeing him this weekend.

I’ve always been a bit jealous of clubs that have a club anthem – You’ll Never Walk Alone, Play Up Sky Blues, Delilah, Pompey Chimes. They give a club a sense of history. Who knew we had one under our nose? 

The playing of My Oh My as part of #RetrOUFC was a surprisingly stirring moment. It’s cheesy because it’s universal, nobody wants an sing-along club anthem which is a Radiohead instrumental b-side about melting ice caps. The opening bars made me recoil initially, but as it built and the flags in the east stand waved, I felt a sense of another jigsaw puzzle fitting into place. I hope it’ll become a fixture in the match day experience.

In January 2014 we met Pompey when they were still going through an identity crisis. On the face of it, a Premier League club, in reality something much more desperate. Pompey fans loved me for this one.