Duncan Barkes

anniversary year and before a game about 10 to 3 of a Saturday afternoon they did a presentation of as many of the still living Pompey players who were around and could get there and they introduced them decade by decade so I think I'm right in saying that I don't think they were only from the 40s might have been and there were some from the 50s definitely quite a few from the 60s and the 70s

And they got out as many old heroes as they could.

I think there was a cut-off time, was perhaps the 80s, because then obviously you're getting towards players who are still playing and therefore can't be there at Fratton on a Saturday afternoon.

So I think it was from the...

40s through to and including the 90s and there was one thing that stands out in my memory very clearly the older players they almost sprinted out onto the pitch they look jaunty and fitting well but you get into the 60s and 70s and quite a few of those ex-pros had trouble walking out onto the pitch

One or two of them even had to have sticks.

And it was noticeable.

They formed a line in front of the director's box.

And there were all those sticks in the middle.

Players from the 60s and 70s.

And it wasn't a mystery because the chap next to me simply said one word.

He just went, cortisone.

And he was right.

And I remembered that.

Back in the late 60s and early through the 70s, if somebody had an ailment, an injury, they would get a cortisone injection.

I wasn't clear at the time what cortisone was.

I still don't know.

I should because I'm damning it.

But it, I think, was quietly identified as being a culprit.

of some non-serviceable injury that developed with the overuse of this particular medication in order to guarantee a player being able to play, even though his body or one of his legs wasn't up to it.