Portsmouth

Portsmouth FC was formed in 1898 when they moved into their Fratton Park home. The club was founded in the back garden on 5 April 1898 at 12 High Street, Old Portsmouth, with John Brickwood, owner of the local Brickwoods Brewery as chairman. 

They joined the Southern League where they won the title in 1901-02, and then again in 1919-20 which was enough to gain admission as members of the Football League for the following season.

The 1923-24 season saw promotion from Division Three South as champions under manager John McCartney. Elevation to the Division One came in 1926-27 prior to the appointment of new manager Jack Tinn.

Pompey reached the final of the FA Cup in 1928-29 when they lost 2-0 to Bolton Wanderers, and then again in 1933-34 when Manchester City won 2-1 at Wembley. However, the team won the FA Cup in 1938-39.

The 4-1 with against Wolverhampton Wanderers was sealed through two goals from Cliff Parker, along with efforts from Bert Barlow and John Anderson. There then followed by a break in the competition for the War of six seasons which means the club holds the record for holding the trophy for the longest stretch of time! 

Bob Jackson became the new Portsmouth manager in May 1947, leading the side to the league title in 1948-49 as the club enjoyed a big following from local shipworkers and those involved in the Royal Navy. The title was retained in 1949-50 as local hero Jimmy Dickinson became a club legend.

Freddie Cox was at the helm as the team went down to Division Two in 1957-58. George Smith arrived as manager but could not prevent another drop in 1960-61, meaning Pompey became the first club to have won the title to be relegated down to the third tier.

The Division Three title was secured in 1961-62, with the team playing the following decade and a bit in the second tier. Ron Tindall had a spell in charge of the team. Ian st John was in charge when the team went back down to the third level in 1976-77. Worse was to follow in 1977-78 as Jimmy Dickinson’s side went down to Division Four. 

Frank Burrows took Portsmouth back up a level in 1979-80. He had been replaced by Bobby Campbell when the Division Three title was secured in 1982-83 with legendary keeper Alan Knight in goal. Alan Ball was appointed as manager in may 1984, taking his side to the top flight in 1986-87 as Micky Quinn top scored.

However, Pompey went straight back down twelve months later. John Gregory, and a returning Burrows had spells in charge of the side prior to the arrival of Jim Smith in June 1991. His side, containing a young Darren Anderton, reached the semifinals of the FA Cup in 1991-92, but lost to Liverpool after a replay.

The side reached the Division One playoffs, as the second tier had been renamed in 1992-93 but lost to Leicester City in the semifinals. Terry Fenwick became manager in February 1995 at a time when the club was in financial disarray in the hands of former Queens Park Rangers owner Jim Gregory. 

Terry Venables became chairman in February 1997 before he sold the club for £1 to Martin Gregory, son of the former owner. Alan Ball returned as manager as relegation was narrowly averted in 1997-98. The following season saw further shambolic financial dealings as the club entered administration.

A new owner Milan Mandaric who was persuaded to buy the club by his friend George Best, saved them. Harry Redknapp had been appointed manager for the 2022-03 season, with his side going on to life the title playing outstanding football along the way as Paul Merson, Svetoslav Todorov, and Arjan de Zeeuw starred.

Big name signings were added like Patrik Berger, Yakubu, and Teddy Sheringham. Velimir Zajec replaced Redknapp the following season, who in turn was succeeded by Alain Perrin, prior to the return of Redknapp in November 2005.

Alexandre Gaydamak bought the club in 2006, while the likes of Niko Kranjčar, Pedro Mendes, and Nwankwo Kanu thrilled the Fratton Park faithful. It would be Kanu who scored the winning goal in the 2007-08 FA Cup final as Cardiff City were defeated 1-0 at Wembley.

 

Pompey came desperately close to folding as they became the first Premiership club to go into administration and be deducted points as Redknapp moved on to be eventually replaced by Avram Grant. The same season saw a 2-2 home draw with Milan in the UEFA Cup.

Emirati businessman Sulaiman Al Fahim became the new owner of the club in May 2009, before he sold it on to new owner Balram Chainrai as the financial crisis again reared its head leading to another spell in administration. Portsmouth went on to reach the 2009-10 FA Cup final where they lost 1-0 to Chelsea.

However, the side were relegated prior to Vladimir Antonov purchasing the club in June 2011, by which point Steve Cotterill had become manager. However, he soon moved to Nottingham Forest to replace the sacked Steve McClaren and rumblings began once more about the financial situation.

In February 2012 Pompey once again entered administration and were deducted ten points. Young manager Michael Appleton did his best as players were released. The FA could not help further with parachute payments as former owner Alexandre Gaydamak was owed the money.

Fans even prepared for the worst and enquired as to starting again in non-league football. The team were relegated to the third tier at the end of the 2011-12 season. In May 2012 two bids were tabled to take the club out of administration.

One was from former owner Balram Chainrai’s Portpin company and the other from the Pompey Supporters Trust, who were offering more than the Portpin offer of paying creditors 2p in each pound through a CVA. Players were released to cut ease the financial worries as the creditors opted for Portpin's proposal.

However, the club was deducted ten points for the second successive season in June 2012, leading to further confusion as to whether Portpin would carry on with their deal, as the PST waited in the wings.

The 2012-13 was a poor one on the pitch as the team were relegated to the basement division but a deal was done with the Administrators in April 2013. The Pompey Supporters Trust became the new club owners, with local businessmen also investing heavily to the set up. 

Guy Whittingham was appointed as team manager, but despite fantastic support from the Pompey faithful, he lasted just one year. Richie Barker came in as his replacement with Steve Coppell as Director of Football. They lasted just a few months before former player Andy Awford came in as manager.

In September 2014 the club were able to announce that they were debt free after paying off all creditors and legacy payments to former players. Paul Cook replaced Awford in May 2015. The side reached the playoffs in 2015-16, losing to Plymouth Argyle in the semifinal.

However, promotion was secured in 2016-17 as League Two champions before Cook departed to join Wigan Athletic. The club was sold to new American owners after a vote by the Pompey Trust, while Kenny Jackett was appointed as the new manager.

The goals of Jamal Lowe helped Portsmouth to the playoffs in 2018-19 where they lost to Sunderland in the semifinals, after earlier defeating the same opponents on penalties at Wembley in the final of the Football League Trophy. The playoffs were again reached twelve months later. 

This time Oxford United won the two-legged semifinal tie. The final of the Football League Trophy was held over owning to the Covid-19 pandemic, with Pompey eventually losing on penalties to Salford City behind closed doors. The patience of the owners ran out as Danny Cowley came in as new team boss in March 2021.

He lasted until January 2023 when John Mousinho took over team affairs and Colby Bishop put away the goals. The front man did the business again in 2023-24 as Portsmouth won League One to return to the Championship. Meanwhile improvements continued to made to Fratton Park.

Portsmouth FC will play in The EFL Championship in the 2024-25 season.

My visits

Portsmouth 1 Sunderland 4 (Saturday 15th November 1997) Division One (att: 10,702)

I was sat at home pretty skint when the phone went one Friday. It was my mate Ron Heywood who worked part time taking photographs for a local company. He was assigned with a mate to go to the Portsmouth v Sunderland game the following day and he offered me a free ride and admission! I jumped at the opportunity so the next morning I was up very early to prepare my packed lunch.

We got to Fratton Park at 12.30 and went to the club offices to collect our passes. The lads were shown to an office with a computer link so that photos could immediately be downloaded and sent around the country ready for publication straight after the match. I went inside the stadium and walked around basically wherever I wanted in my fluorescent jacket. There were seats at the front of each end for me to sit in during the match.

It was was a truly traditional old stadium, probably in need of renovation. The splendid old Archibald Leitch South Stand faced out with its mock Tudor frontage into the narrow Frogmore Road. I entered through its maze of tunnels and alleyways and looked out. The stand still had its splendid traditional crisscross balcony with two tiers of seats. The Milton End to the right was open seating, naturally for away fans! 

Opposite was the North Stand which stood at an awkward angle with its old top tier looking over the now large seated paddock. A new roof gave fans protection. Finally the home Fratton End was to my left. This replaced an open terrace which in turn took over from the much missed covered terrace. It was now one large bank of seating.

The noise was good from a set of fans who were passionate but had got rid of their terrible reputation from the 80's. Sunderland also brought a fair following who were jubilant by the end as their side tore Pompey apart. John Aloisi had put the hosts ahead on seven minutes, but by fourteen minutes it was two one to the Black Cats as Niall Quinn and Lee Clark scored.

Allan Johnston extended the lead before the break, before second half sub Nicky Summerbee rounded off the scoring. I had a great time collecting films from whoever was taking the photos and walking round the pitch side track or wherever I fancied to deposit them at the office before returning. I have had worse free days out!

Wednesday 5th May 2008

I had made use of the £10 advance day rover ticket on Southern Rail to visit some grounds in West Sussex with Pompey being my final destination of the day. I alighted at Fratton station and quickly found my way to the main entrance in Frogmore Road. The area had been tarted up since my previous visit for the demands of the corporate Premier League. 

As approached on my return the gate was open. I saw people scurrying about inside and I quickly got the attention of someone working for the club. He said he saw no problem with me taking some photos as long as I didn’t go on the pitch. Contractors were fitting the new electronic advertising boards around the pitch. 

The club anticipate moving to a new stadium on the waterfront at Horsea Island near to the M27 by August 2011, which will accommodate 36,000 fans as opposed to their current capacity of 20,600. Fratton Park has its detractors but it smells of history and tradition and the fans are noisy especially since the Milton End was at last covered in 2007. 

Sadly the old balcony had paid the price of top flight football and had been painted blue and covered with advertising boards. However made that decision should be ashamed of themselves. This is one of the few Premiership clubs and grounds where I could attend as a regular.

I headed off into the city and enjoyed a couple of hours rehydrating in the Walkabout pub and watching the locals go about their own form of entertainment.