Portsmouth’s fan-led revival reaches new milestone with Arsenal FA Cup clash
When Portsmouth welcome Arsenal to Fratton Park on Monday night there will be a release of emotions from the almost 20,000 Pompey fans present, many of whom are responsible for the club’s slow but steady revival.
The fifth-round tie is the furthest the club have progressed in the FA Cup since the 2010 final and the match is symbolic of Portsmouth’s upturn, which is in large part down to the relentless work of supporters who have brought the club back from the brink.
It is therefore fitting that this match is in the tournament where they experienced their biggest high in recent history – and against the competition’s most successful side.
Harry Redknapp led Portsmouth to their first major trophy in 58 years when they lifted the FA Cup in 2008. But despite returning to Wembley two years later, off-the-field financial issues and chronic mismanagement had already set in.
Disastrous regimes
The club was forced into administration twice in as many years and relegated three times in four seasons thanks to a string of disastrous regimes that saw the south coast side’s debts to reach £135m.
Milan Mandaric left the club saddled with £60m in debt when selling to French-Israeli businessman Alexandre Gaydamak in 2006, who was himself forced to sell following the stock market crash of 2008.
A farcical situation descended further into chaos as the club’s ownership passed through the hands of Sulaiman Al-Fahim and Ali al-Faraj, Balram Chanrai and then Russian banker Vladimir Antonov, who was served with a European-wide arrest warrant shortly after becoming chairman.
A second administration and penalty deduction ensued and Pompey suffered back-to-back relegations to England’s fourth tier.
Fans save the day
Facing liquidation, the club was ultimately saved by its fans. An acquisition scheme was set up to allow supporters to invest in the club and underwrite the ongoing costs, and in April 2013, the Portsmouth Supporters’ Trust, chaired by Ashley Brown, won the right to take control of the club – but only after a high court battle with previous owners to retain Fratton Park.
It was just the beginning of the rebuilding process. Pompey were initially forced to use a blend of academy and non-league players and train at the local university, and spent four years in League Two before being promoted as champions in 2017.
But under chief executive Mark Catlin the books had finally been balanced and the community-owned club were debt free and on the rise.
Recognising the need for further investment, in swooped former Walt Disney chief executive Michael Eisner.
Pompey fans could have been forgiven for any scepticism about foreign owners, but Eisner’s vision of a self-sustaining club was shared by the supporters, whom he convinced of his desire to become part of the community with a charm offensive that included visiting local pubs.
Under manager Kenny Jackett, Portsmouth are now third in League One and on course to return to the play-offs following last year’s semi-final defeat. They are also set to face Salford in the EFL Trophy final, having won the competition last year.
Tonight’s FA Cup tie with Arsenal is the latest indication of the club’s revival, then, and an opportunity for the fans, who have worked tirelessly to get the club back to this point, to bask in their achievements.