Source: Daily_Mail
FA Cup damaged as trophy takes a nosedive (just like Portsmouth)
[LNB]Perhaps it's a metaphor for Portsmouth[LNB]'s season. The club will be handing back the FA Cup damaged after the trophy was sent crashing to the floor.[LNB]So it's not just the team who have taken a nosedive since the glorious day last May when Pompey beat Cardiff 1-0 at Wembley to win the competition for the first time since 1939.[LNB]The Cup was balanced atop a table on a stage at Fratton Park when a group of excited children jumped on to the platform and caused it to topple off.[LNB] [LNB]Former Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp holds the FA Cup after his side won the competition last May. The cup was damaged by a group of children recently[LNB] [LNB]It suffered significant damage to the rim which is thought to prevent the lid fitting properly.[LNB]Portsmouth are due to hand the Cup back to the FA in the first week of March. It will then have to be knocked back into shape and repaired before it is handed over to this year's winners.[LNB] Manchester City sacking still a sore point for confused Eriksson[LNB]VIDEO SPECIAL: The only way is up as England striker Crouch replaces 'The Robot'[LNB]ALL THE WEEKEND'S PREMIER LEAGUE TEAM NEWS[LNB]PORTSMOUTH FC NEWS FROM ACROSS THE NET[LNB][LNB]The club played down the damage, claiming it was inevitable the cup would go back to with a few dents in it. Spokesman Gary Double said the damage occurred during an event at the ground hosted by the FA Cup's sponsors, energy firm E.ON.[LNB]Moment of glory: John 'Portsmouth Football Club' Westwood leads the celebrations last May[LNB] 'It always goes back with a few little dents in it,' he said. 'There's a dent in the rim where the lid goes but it does still fit. It is just a bit misshapen. It's really not anything huge at all.[LNB]'The incident happened at the club but it was a function run by E.ON. Some children jumped on the stage and the Cup fell over and hit the floor. It will be put back into shape after it goes back to the FA.[LNB]'We are not going to apologise for the damage because E.ON were looking after the Cup at that time, not us.[LNB]'I would say we have looked after the Cup well while it's in our hands. There haven't been any other accidents.'[LNB]It is the second time the FA Cup has taken a battering while in the care of the club. Two stewards stumbled while parading the trophy at Fratton Park ahead of a game against Manchester United game last August. The lid fell off and hit the ground near the entrance to the tunnel.[LNB] First time around: Jimmy Guthrie and his Portsmouth team-mates celebrate Cup victory in 1939[LNB]Ironically, Portsmouth had to keep the trophy safe from the German bombs during the Second World War after winning the competition in 1939. It was moved from place to place for fear of it being blown up.[LNB]Eventually it was sent to The Bird In Hand pub in the Hampshire village of Lovedean where it stayed for the rest of the war in pride of place on top of a radio behind the bar, under the watchful gaze of the landlord.[LNB]The FA said a silversmith would hammer out any dents and shine up the cup before it is presented to the next winning team.[LNB]'If there are any repairs that need to be done we will do them and Portsmouth will have to pay for that,' said a spokeswoman.[LNB] Manchester City sacking still a sore point for confused Eriksson[LNB]VIDEO SPECIAL: The only way is up as England striker Crouch replaces 'The Robot'[LNB]ALL THE WEEKEND'S PREMIER LEAGUE TEAM NEWS[LNB]PORTSMOUTH FC NEWS FROM ACROSS THE NET[LNB][LNB] [LNB]
