In the Red Corner

Faced with a tough relegation fight, Charlton Athletic have hastened to recruit full back Ben Thatcher, whose colourful disciplinary record suggests that he is extremely unlikely to shrink from a scrap. And on Saturday 20th January the ex-Manchester City player may well come face to face at Fratton Park with Portsmouth midfielder Pedro Mendes, the unfortunate recipient of a bludgeoning forearm smash earlier in the season, the full force of which escaped the attention of the referee but not the F.A. disciplinary panel.

According to reports, Hampshire police are taking no special security measures to cope with the visit of this particular Thatcher and Pompey fans have no plans whatsoever to welcome him, so it will be interesting to see how he manages to conduct himself on this occasion. If selected.