why are portsmouth called skates

The nickname "Skates" for Portsmouth fans originates as a derogatory term used by their rivals, Southampton fans. It comes from Portsmouth being both a naval base and a fishing port, where the common skate fish is found. The term "Skate" was chosen as an insult to describe Portsmouth sailors, reflecting a local slang where "skate" was a derogatory nickname for sailors from Portsmouth. There are apocryphal tales that sailors would use the skate fish in a sexual manner during long lonely voyages, which added to the insult. The nickname "Skate" was popularized in the late 1980s by Southampton fans during the South Coast Derby football rivalry with Portsmouth. Ironically, the term was also used within Portsmouth's civilian population as an insult for sailors before being adopted by rival fans.