Southampton FC v Portsmouth FC: Who has the loudest fanbase? AI decides | OneFootball

We asked ChatGPT to decide which of South Coast rivals Southampton and Portsmouth have a louder fanbase.

With the two clubs back in the same division for the first time in 13 years, Southampton and Portsmouth supporters will be counting down the days until the return of the South Coast derby.

It was a nightmare campaign for Southampton last season as they were relegated from the Premier League with a dismal total of just 12 points, but they did at least manage to avoid breaking Derby County's record for the lowest-ever top flight points tally.

While the Saints may take a little time to recover from their humiliating relegation season, they will be one of the favourites for promotion in the Championship next season under new manager Will Still, and they have brought in two new signings so far this summer in defender Joshua Quarshie and striker Damion Downs.

Portsmouth made a slow start to life back in the second tier last season after their promotion from League One, but they improved significantly over the course of the campaign, and they managed to comfortably avoid relegation in the end as they secured a respectable 16th-placed finish.

Midfielder John Swift and forward Adrian Segecic have been the only new arrivals at Fratton Park during what has been a quiet summer so far, but Pompey will be optimistic that they can stay clear of any relegation trouble next season.

Southampton and Portsmouth are preparing for the return of the South Coast derby

The last time Southampton and Portsmouth were in the same division was the 2011-12 season, and they certainly experienced contrasting fortunes, with the Saints securing promotion to the Premier League and Pompey being relegated to League One.

The two clubs continued to head in opposite directions after that season, with Southampton spending the next 11 years in the top flight until their relegation in 2023, while Portsmouth even dropped into League Two, where they remained for four seasons, but they will be reunited in the Championship in the upcoming campaign.

Given that they have operated at opposite ends of the pyramid in recent years, meetings between the pair have been few and far between, with the most recent coming back in September 2019 when Southampton recorded a comprehensive 4-0 win over Portsmouth at Fratton Park in the EFL Cup.

However, local bragging rights will be up for grabs once again next season, with the first game between the Saints and Pompey taking place at St Mary's on Sunday 14th September, with the reserve fixture at Fratton Park being held on Sunday 25th January.

As Southampton and Portsmouth prepare to reignite their rivalry, we asked ChatGPT which club has the louder fanbase.

AI reveals whether Southampton or Portsmouth have a louder fanbase

Southampton may have enjoyed more success than their bitter rivals on the pitch in recent years, but according to ChatGPT, Portsmouth have the louder fanbase.

AI notes that Saints fans often turn out in big numbers to support their team, particularly when they are performing well, and it claims that the atmosphere inside St Mary's can be "excellent" when supporters are in full voice.

However, ChatGPT believes that Southampton's home ground often lacks the same intensity as Fratton Park, with the atmosphere more subdued compared to that of their near neighbours, and it described the Portsmouth faithful as one of the most vocal fan bases in England, praising them for the loyalty they showed through a turbulent period as the club experienced serious financial problems.

Pompey had an impressive average attendance of 20,259 last season, and it is fair to say that their home form was crucial to them remaining in the Championship, with John Mousinho's men picking up 40 of their 54 points on their own patch.

With that in mind, it is easy to see why AI has decided that Portsmouth have a louder fanbase than Southampton, but there is no doubt that both St Mary's and Fratton Park will be rocking for the South Coast derby next season.