Why is portsmouth club called POMPEY??
Portsmouth Founded: 1898 Nickname: Pompey Located on the Southern coast of England, Portsmouth is England’s major naval base on the English Channel. The nickname Pompey is not exactly well-defined. Some claim it relates to the French warship Le Pompee captured in 1793 which became guardship of Portsmouth Harbor. Other tales have it coming from General Pompey from the Roman Empire. While still others believe the name descends from English sailors in 1781 in Egypt scaling Pompey’s Pillar near Alexandria. Their feat earned them the Fleet’s tribute as ‘The Pompey Boys’. Either way, Pompey and Portsmouth are interchangeable. http://www.ussoccerplayers.
