The south coast derby is back and a 'proper match-up'

Southampton host bitter rivals Portsmouth on Sunday at 12:00 BST

Such has been the diverging fortunes of these two clubs for so long now, that when someone asks me what these south coast derbies are like, I have to really think hard to remember.

The League Cup tie six years ago when there was two leagues between them was a shoo-in for Saints.

Although fans would have revelled in the win, it was a million miles from how both sets of supporters will feel now the derby is back as a level-playing field, home and away, a proper match-up this season.

And going back 13 years to the last league meetings it felt like Pompey enjoyed the moral high ground despite two draws.

Saints were on their way up and Pompey were heading down the leagues following their well-publicised huge financial problems.

So from a Saints perspective, the derbies in 2011-12 were ultimately flat and frustrating, even if they atmosphere at both games was electric.

From my time working on the south coast, the Hampshire derby peaked in 2005 when Harry Redknapp took Saints back to Fratton Park just months after jumping ship from the blue to the red half of Hampshire.

I doubt very much that occasion - the atmosphere, the animosity, the noise, the high levels of security, the bubble, the hype, the Saints coach journey - will be matched very often, if at all in my lifetime again.

I will certainly never forget it.