Founded in 1898, Portsmouth Football Club are an English association football club based in the south coast city port of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey and is currently playing in the FA Premier League. The club is owned by French businessman Alexandre Gaydamak, with previous owner, Serbian-American businessman Milan Mandarić taking a non-executive role.
| Portsmouth F.C. crest | |||
| Full name | Portsmouth Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | Pompey | ||
| Founded | 1898 | ||
| Ground | Fratton Park Portsmouth | ||
| Capacity | 20,220 | ||
| Owner |    Alexandre Gaydamak | ||
| Chairman |  Milan Mandarić | ||
| Manager |  Harry Redknapp | ||
| League | FA Premier League | ||
| 2005-06 | Premier League, 17th | ||
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There has historically been a fierce rivalry between Portsmouth and Southampton. This derby match has only taken place infrequently as, for much of their history, the two teams have been in different divisions. Since 1977, the teams have only played league games against each other in three seasons (1987/88, 2003/04 and 2004/05). Southampton currently play in the Coca-Cola Football League Championship.
The club's most recent trophy was won on 27 April 2003 when Pompey beat Rotherham 3-2 to win the First Division championship, giving the club promotion to the Premier League for the first time since its inception.
History
Early Years (1898 - 1911)
The club was founded in 1898, with John Brickwood as chairman, Brickwood also happened to own the local company Brickwood Ales. Frank Brettell was appointed as the club's first manager. A common myth is that the club's first goalkeeper was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. While Conan Doyle did play for an amateur side, Portsmouth AFC, that flourished from 1882 to 1894, the first goalkeeper of the professional era was Matt Reilly who previously played for the successful Royal Artillery team.
The club's first league match was played at Chatham Town on 2nd September 1899 (a 1-0 victory), followed three days later by the first match at Fratton Park against local rivals Southampton. That first season was hugely successful, with the club winning 20 out of 28 league matches, earning them runners-up spot in the Southern League. The league was won for the first time in the 1901/1902 season, by which time Brettell had been replaced by club captain Bob Blyth as manager.
The 1906/07 season was highlighted by the visit of giants Manchester United to Fratton Park in the F.A Cup, which generated a record attendance of 24,329. A 2-2 draw meant a replay in Manchester, and Portsmouth recorded a famous 2-1 win. However, this record attendance was surpassed two seasons later when Sheffield Wednesday visited Fratton for the second round of the new FA Cup.
1910/11 saw Portsmouth relegated, but with the recruitment of Bob Brown as manager the team were promoted the next season.
Climbing up the league (1919 - 1927)
Football was suspended during World War I, but following the resumption of matches Portsmouth won the Southern League for the second time. Continuing success saw them in the Third Division for the 1920/21 season. They finished 12th that year, but won the league in the 1923/24 season. The club continued to perform well in the Second Division, winning promotion by finishing 2nd in the 1926/27 season, gaining a record 9-1 win over Notts County along the way.
Life at the top (1927 - 1939)
Portsmouth's debut season in the First Division was a struggle. The next season they continued to falter, losing 10-0 to Leicester City, still a club record defeat. However, despite their failings in the league that season also saw Portsmouth reach the FA Cup final for the first time, which they lost to Bolton Wanderers.
Portsmouth managed to survive relegation, and their fortunes began to change. In the 1930/31 season the club finished 4th. The 1933/34 season saw Portsmouth again reach the FA Cup final, beating Manchester United, Bolton Wanderers, Leicester and Birmingham City on the way. Unfortunately the club was again defeated in the final, this time to Manchester City.
Having established themselves in the top flight, the 1938/39 season saw Portsmouth reach their third FA Cup final. This time the club managed to defeat the favourites, Wolves, convincingly 4-1. Bert Barlow scored twice whilst Parker and Anderson completed the famous victory.
Football was again suspended due to World War II, (however they did reach the war cup final losing to Brentford at Wembley) meaning Pompey hold the dubious distinction of holding the FA Cup for the longest period as the trophy wasn't contested again until the 1945/46 season!
Glory Years (1946 - 1959)
League football resumed for the 1946/47 campaign. In Pompey's Golden Jubilee season of 1948/49, the club were tipped to be the first team of the 20th Century to win the League and Cup double. However, Pompey crashed out of the FA Cup in the semi-final against Leicester, but made up for it by claiming the league title in spectacular fashion. That season also saw a record attendance of 51,385, a record which still stands to this day.
The club retained the title the following year, beating Aston Villa 5-1 on the last day of the season, thus becoming one of only four English teams to have won back to back titles since World War II.
Pompey enjoyed a fourth-place finish in 1951/52, but in the summer of 1952 championship-winning manager Bob Jackson left for Hull City. The players who had featured in the club's recent successes were now aging and the young players coming into the side were not of comparable quality. Although the team finished third in 1954/55, subsequent seasons saw Pompey struggle and they were relegated to the Second Division in 1959.
Life in the lower leagues (1961 - 1976)
Portsmouth went down to the Third Division in 1961 but were promoted back to the Second Division at the first time of asking.
A decade of mediocre performances in the Second Division followed, and despite the cash injection that accompanied the arrival of John Deacon as chairman in 1972, Pompey's fortunes failed to improve. With Deacon unable to continue bankrolling the club on the same scale, Pompey were relegated to the Third Division in 1976.
Near Oblivion (1976 - 1980)
In November 1976 the club found itself needing to raise GBP 25,000 to pay off debts and so avoid bankruptcy. The money was raised from supporter contributions after a campaign led by the local newspaper The News.
With players having to be sold to ease the club's financial situation, and no money available for replacements, Pompey were forced to rely on an untried manager, Ian St John, and inexperienced young players and were relegated to the Fourth Division in 1978.
During this period, and throughout the 1980s, Portsmouth was one of a number of football clubs with a reputation for Football hooliganism. The most notorious gang was called the 6:57 Crew. A self-proclaimed 'casual firm' of football hooligans, whose name came from the fact that many supporters would catch the 6:57 train from nearby Fratton railway station to London for away games. The advent of all-seater stadia following the Taylor report into the Hillsborough disaster of 1989 contributed to a decrease in organised football-related violence, and the 6:57 Crew was gradually reduced to nothing by the 1990s. Two books have been written about the 6.57 Crew, Rolling With the 6.57 Crew by Cass Pennant & Rob Silvester and Playing Up With Pompey By Bob Beech.
Back on Track (1980 - 1988)
Pompey were promoted back to Division Three in 1980, and in the 1982/83 season they won the Third Division championship, gaining promotion back to the Second Division.
Under Alan Ball's management, Pompey narrowly missed winning promotion to the First Division twice before finally succeeding in 1986/87. Unfortunately, by the middle of the 1987/88 season the club was again in grave financial trouble, and Pompey were relegated straight back to the Second Division. The summer of 1988 saw Deacon sell the club to London based businessman Jim Gregory.
Waiting for success (1988 - 2002)
Jim Smith's arrival as manager at the start of the 1991/92 season, combined with the emergence of some good young players, sparked a revival in the team's fortunes and that year Pompey reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup, losing on penalties to Liverpool after a replay. The following season, Pompey missed out on promotion to the FA Premier League only by virtue of having scored one less goal than West Ham.
Chairman Gregory now called in the money he had lent the club over preceding seasons, and so players were sold with little funds available to buy replacements. The team's form declined, and Smith was controversially sacked in 1995 and replaced by Terry Fenwick. Relegation to the Second Division was avoided on the last day of the 1995/96 season when Pompey won away to Huddersfield Town while other results went the club's way.
In the summer of 1996 Terry Venables arrived at Pompey as a consultant, later taking over as chairman after buying the club for £1. The team enjoyed a run to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup in 1996/97, beating FA Premier League side Leeds United en route, but finished just short of the qualifying places for the play-offs for promotion to the Premier League. The 1997/98 season saw Venables lose his popularity with the club's supporters, as he signed several Australian players, most of whom failed to perform with much distinction, while his role as coach of the Australian national team meant he was frequently absent from Portsmouth; meanwhile, the team's results were poor. Two-thirds of the way through the season he and unpopular manager Fenwick left the club, Venables selling his shareholding back to Martin Gregory, son of former chairman Jim, while Alan Ball returned as manager. Relegation was again avoided on the last day of the season.
The following season saw the club again dogged by financial trouble, and in December 1998 Pompey went into financial administration. The club was saved by Mandaric buying it in May 1999, and the new chairman immediately started investing. However, it wasn't until the appointment of Harry Redknapp as manager in early 2002, with former Pompey manager Jim Smith as his assistant, that the club's fortunes really turned around.
Back at the top (2002 - present)
In Redknapp's first full season in charge, (2002/03), he brought in experienced Premiership players such as Steve Stone and Paul Merson. Pompey stormed the league and the club tipped for relegation surprised many by comfortably winning the title. Since, Portsmouth have been in the Premiership and although continuing to struggle, have produced some surprise results, notably two home wins in two consecutive seasons against Manchester United.
In their Premiership debut season, Portsmouth had one of the best home records in the Premiership, but dismal away form restricted them to a 13th place finish. Had they been able to match their impressive home form on their travels, then a top half finish or even a European place could have been achieved.
However, Mandaric and Redknapp clashed several times during their time together. At the end of the 2003/04 season it was rumoured that Mandaric was considering replacing some of the club's coaching staff, including Redknapp's assistant Jim Smith. Although no changes took place the two clashed again more seriously when Mandaric proposed appointing another director in November, with responsibility for the youth set-up at the club. Redknapp made comments to the media showing his disapproval of the proposal but Mandaric pressed ahead and appointed Velimir Zajec. Redknapp, along with his assistant Jim Smith, subsequently resigned with immediate effect on 23rd November. Zajec took over as manager, initially as caretaker, then on 20th December the club announced that he would manage the team for the remainder of the season. However, on 7 April 2005 after a poor run of results Alain Perrin was appointed team manager, with Zajec reverting to his director's role. Portsmouth's 4-1 victory at home to Southampton on 24 April 2005 brought the club close to securing Premiership survival which became certain six days later when, although Portsmouth lost at Man City, two clubs lower in the table failed to win their matches. On 15 May 2005, the final day of the season, Portsmouth's 2-0 defeat at West Bromwich Albion F.C. gave Albion survival and relegated Southampton, resulting in a carnival atmosphere at the end of the match which saw both sets of fans invade the pitch. The 2005-06 season thus saw Pompey play in a higher league than rivals Southampton for the first time since 1960.
The summer of 2005 saw big changes at Fratton Park. A massive number of players came in and out as Perrin began to stamp his authority on the club, and finally, after many years of waiting, work began on the redevelopment of Fratton Park itself- the aim being to turn a dilapidated, old style league ground into a 21st century, 30,000 seat stadium. Off the field changes also occurred with departure of Director of Football Zajec for personal reasons following a heart problem.
After a series of poor results in the 2005/2006 season that set a record low number of points for a Portsmouth manager, Alain Perrin was sacked in December 2005. Former manager Harry Redknapp took charge again a couple of weeks later, leaving south coast rivals Southampton. In January 2006, Milan Mandarić confirmed he was to sell a stake in the club to French businessman Alexandre Gaydamak[1], and a cash injection of a reported GBP 15 million enabled Portsmouth to purchase Sean Davis, Pedro Mendes and Noé Pamarot from Tottenham (loaning Wayne Routledge from the same club) as well as Argentine playmaker Andrés D'Alessandro loaned from VfL Wolfsburg in Germany. Portsmouth, after revitalised form in March and April thanks to the new signings, avoided relegation on 29 April 2006 when Pompey's win in the penultimate game of the season at Wigan Athletic F.C. combined with Birmingham City F.C.'s failure to beat Newcastle United F.C. to put Portsmouth beyond the pursuit of the Premiership's bottom three sides.
A bright new era? (2006 onward)
On 19th July 2006 co-owner and club chairman Milan Mandaric transferred full ownership of the club over to Alexandre Gaydamak. After a 7 year tenure that has seen Portsmouth rise from the brink of liquidation into the top tier of domestic football, Mandaric leaves a considerable legacy appreciated by the majority of the club's supporters. Though he never managed to deliver the long promised new stadium, made a few unsuccessful managerial appointments and couldn't invest enough to push on from repeated relegation struggles in the premiership, in finding a new owner who appears to have both ambition and a willingness to invest he looks to have secured a bright future. As a show of thanks to Mandaric's work and probably also due to his popularity with supporters, Mandaric remains at the club in a role as Non-Executive Chairman.
As of July 2006 several multi-million pound bids have been lodged for players far above what the club have ever previously paid for a player, but none have yet signed except for Chelsea's Glen Johnson on loan.
The Pompey Chimes
The best known chant from the Pompey supporters is the "Pompey Chimes" ("Play up Pompey, Pompey play up" sung to the tune of the Westminster Chimes). The origins of the 'Pompey Chimes' lies with the Royal Artillery, Portsmouth's most popular and successful football team for much of the 1890s, who played many of their home games at the United Services ground in Burnaby Road. The nearby town hall clock would strike the quarter hours and the referees would use the clock to let them know when the match should finish at 4pm. Just before 4pm the crowd would lilt in unison with the chimes of the hour to encourage the referee to blow the whistle signifying full time. The original words to 'The Chimes', as printed in the 1900/01 Official Handbook of Portsmouth FC, were: 'Play up Pompey, Just one more goal! Make tracks! What ho! Hallo! Hallo!'
With the demise of Royal Artillery after their expulsion from the 1898/99 FA Amateur Cup for alleged professionalism, many of Royal Artillery's supporters transferred their allegiance to the newly formed Portsmouth F.C. and brought the Chimes chant with them.
Honours
- Football League [2]
- FA Cup [1]
- League Division One [1]
- Champions 2003
- League Division Two [0]
- League Division Three [2]
- Football League Third Division South
- Champions 1924
- Southern League [2]
- FA Charity Shield
- Shared 1949
- Wartime Cup
- Runners-up 1942
Stadium
Portsmouth play their home games at Fratton Park, in Portsmouth.
- Capacity - 20,220 (all seated)
- Opened - 1898
- Pitch size - 115 x 73 yards
The ground has been home to the club throughout its entire history, and despite improvements is showing signs of age. Therefore at the end of the 2003/04 season, having consolidated their Premier League status, plans to develop a new stadium on the adjacent disused rail-freight depot site were drawn up and approved.
These plans were superseded by a new plan to redevelop, more or less on the existing site, but realigning the pitch 90 degrees to accommodate a larger capacity, ultimately 35,000, funded in part by a "Pompey Village" luxury residential project on the adjacent site. Work on the stadium and village is due to start in the summer of 2006 with the first of the new stands opening for the 2007/08 season.
Records
Record Victory
- 9 -1 v Notts County, Division 2, 9 April 1927
Record Defeat
- 0 - 10 v Leicester City, Division 1, 20 October 1928
Record Attendance
- 51,385 v Derby County, FA Cup, 1948/49 season
Highest Transfer Fee Paid
- £4,100,000 - Benjani Mwaruwari from AJ Auxerre, 2006
Highest Transfer Fee Received
- £7,500,000 - Yakubu Aiyegbeni to Middlesbrough F.C., 2005
Most Appearances for club
- Jimmy Dickinson (834)
Most League Goals for club
- Peter Harris (194) 1946-60
Most League Goals in a season
- Guy Whittingham (42) 1992/93
Most Goals for club
- Peter Harris (208) 1946-60
Most International Caps whilst at club
- Jimmy Dickinson (48)
Non-Playing Staff
- Owner: Alexandre Gaydamak
- Non-executive Chairman: Milan Mandaric
- Directors: Terry Brady, David Chissick, Mark Johnson
- Managing Director: Peter Storrie
- Manager: Harry Redknapp
- Assistant Manager: Tony Adams
- First Team Coach: Joe Jordan
- Technical Director: Avraham Grant
- Goalkeeping Coach: David Coles
- Reserve Team Coach: Paul Groves
- Head of Youth Development: Mark Kelly
- Youth Team Coach: Shaun Brookes
- Youth Development and Recruitment: Dave Hurst, Steve Martin
- Chief Scout: Ian Broomfield
Current squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Squad changes during 2005/06 season
In
Azar Karadas - Benfica (loan)
Collins Mbesuma - Kaizer Chiefs (undisclosed)
Andy O'Brien - Newcastle United (£2 million)
Laurent Robert - Newcastle United (loan)
John Viáfara - Once Caldas (£800k)- Grégory Vignal - Liverpool (Free Transfer)
Sander Westerveld - Mallorca (Free Transfer)
Brian Priske - Genk (undisclosed)
Zvonimir Vukić - Shakhtar Donetsk (loan)-
Frank Songo'o - Barcelona (£200k) 
Salif Diao - Liverpool (loan)
Darío Silva - Sevilla (Free Transfer)
Emmanuel Olisadebe - Panathinaikos (loan)
Benjani Mwaruwari - Auxerre (£4.1m)- Sean Davis - Spurs (undisclosed)
- Noé Pamarot - Spurs (undisclosed)
Pedro Mendes - Spurs (undisclosed)- Dean Kiely - Charlton (undisclosed)
- Wayne Routledge - Spurs (loan)
- Ognijen Koroman - FC Terek Grozny (loan)
Andres D'Alessandro - VfL Wolfsburg (loan)
Out
Patrik Berger - Aston Villa (Free)
Kostas Chalkias - released- Chris Clarke - released
- Shaun Cooper - Bournemouth (Free)
Hayden Foxe - released
Ricardo Fuller - Southampton (£90k)
Shaka Hislop - West Ham (free)- Diomansy Kamara - West Brom (£1.5 million)
- Steve Stone - Leeds United (Free)
- David Unsworth - Sheffield United (undisclosed)
- Rowan Vine - Luton Town (undisclosed)
- Yakubu Aiyegbeni - Middlesbrough (£7.5 million)
- Arjan de Zeeuw - Wigan (undisclosed)
- Giannis Skopelitis - Egaleo FC (returned from year trial)
- Laurent Robert - Benfica (loan from Newcastle United transferred)
- Darío Silva - Released
- Emmanuel Olisadebe - Released
- Grégory Vignal - Released
- James Keene - Loan to Gothenburg
- Collins Mbesuma - Released
Notable Former Players
Managerial History
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External links
- Portsmouth F.C. on BBC Sport: Club news – Recent results and fixtures
- Official Website
- Pompey Chimes
- Premierleague.com - Portsmouth