Portsmouth FC vs Ipswich Town 
Saturday 21st December 2019 – 15:00
Fratton Park
Pre-Match Thoughts - Mike
Glass Half Full Or Glass Half Empty?
Town's lean spell continued Saturday passed as Bristol Rovers became the latest team to be outplayed only to go home with all Three points, it is becoming a recurring theme just lately, while we played some good stuff in the final hour you just cannot afford to give any team a Two goal start and seriously expect to turn things around, especially with our struggles on the goal scoring front of late. As good as the last Hour was it has to be said that the defending in the opening twenty Five minutes was appalling and as per usual we get punished for it. It is true we had a bit of a makeshift back line but even so the basics need to be done and we failed to do them until it was too late.
The response was encouraging and it was a spirited effort from the team to rectify the situation, on another day we would have had Three or Four goals but again with the way our luck is these days it was not to be, you make your own luck they tell me, I think that's rubbish. Even the most hardened anti Chambers fans are even starting to see his value to the team, we just don't look the same and youngsters like Luke Woolfenden will be the first to tell you he is invaluable to them too, Luke also looked a shadow of the player he is when the captain is beside him, hopefully it isn't too much longer before he returns.
The Glass half full or empty saga is one that will go on forever, I am always the former but those that are half empty should really never be disappointed or let down as the negative stance is expected so when it happens it's as they thought it would be, for me I am gutted when things don't go as expected and it takes a day or two to digest it and bounce back. What I would say is that if we had started the League season less impressively than we did and then went on a good run to be where we are now the whole feel of the place would be positive and yet we would be in exactly the same situation, mind games at their best, current form is very pertinent to all fans and the "you are only as good as your last result" mentality can be very confusing and misleading. I am very confident things will change and this minor blip is nothing more, there is no reason to believe it is anything else, Ando came up with some good stats showing how Norwich, under Lambert, lost Nine games on their way to the title, we are almost half way and have lost just Three so my glass continues to remain very much half full.
It Could get Worse Still
The last game before the festivities begin sees us make the trip to the South coast to take on Portsmouth and it is a game that I see as a potential banana skin, for me they are the team that have under achieved the most this season and I just keep waiting on them to burst into action but it continues to be stop start, Saturday's thrashing at Accrington Stanley doing little to suggest it is going to change any time soon. Despite currently sitting in Tenth place they are actually only Three points off the top Six as the pack closes up so Two or Three wins in a row would make a big difference.
Ronan Curtis leads the way in the scoring stakes with Eight goals while a certain Ellis Harrison has Six to his name so these Two could cause our fragile defence a few problems but it is at the other end where we need to get it right, if we start taking our chances we can beat anyone, James Norwood getting a goal against Bristol Rovers was good for him and hopefully the team too, his confidence must have been a bit up and down and as we know he is a player that scores his goals in clusters so let's hope he now goes on a run.
I do think this will be tough but certainly not beyond us, the Town of a few weeks ago would give Pompey a real game, hopefully that Town team turn up but the fact we are away is a positive too as I believe we are top of the form table on our travels. Soon we will regain our Mojo and soon we will hit someone for a few goals and while I don't see that happening the mojo could return as quickly as it went into hiding. MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE......COYB'S.
The Opposition – Portsmouth FC
The club was founded in 1898, with a blue plaque on the wall of 12 High Street Portsmouth commemorating its formation on 5 April. The club joined the Southern League in 1899. That first season was successful, with the club winning 20 out of 28 league matches, earning them the runner-up spot in the league. They suffered their first relegation in 1910–11 but the team was promoted again the following season.
League football was suspended during the First World War, 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, going on to win the league in the 1923–24 season. The club continued to perform well in the Second Division, winning promotion by finishing second in the 1926–27 season.
Portsmouth's debut season in the First Division was a struggle. However, they reached the FA Cup final for the first time, losing to Bolton Wanderers. Portsmouth managed to survive relegation, and their fortunes began to change. The 1933–34 season saw Portsmouth again reach the FA Cup final, which they lost to Manchester City.
Having established themselves in the top flight, Portsmouth reached the 1939 FA Cup final, which they won against Wolves. League football was again suspended due to the Second World War, meaning Portsmouth hold the unusual distinction of holding the FA Cup for the longest uninterrupted period, as the trophy wasn't contested again until the 1945–46 season.
League football resumed for the 1946–47 campaign after five years and Portsmouth continued in the First Division. In their "Golden Jubilee" season of 1948–49, they claimed the league title for the first time. The club powered their way to the title the following year, on the last day of the season, and are thus one of only five English teams to have won back-to-back titles since the Second World War.
Subsequent seasons saw Portsmouth struggle and they were relegated to the Second Division in 1959. Portsmouth went down to the Third Division in 1961 (the first former English League champions to do so) but were promoted back to the Second Division at the first attempt. Despite limited financial means, Portsmouth retained Second Division status throughout the sixties.
The cash injection that accompanied the arrival of John Deacon as chairman in 1972 failed to improve Portsmouth's league position. With Deacon unable to continue bankrolling the club on the same scale, Portsmouth were relegated to the Third Division in 1976.
In November 1976, the club found itself needing to raise £25,000 to pay off debts and so avoid bankruptcy. With players having to be sold to ease the club's financial situation, and no money available for replacements, Portsmouth were consequently relegated to the Fourth Division in 1978.
Portsmouth 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, Portsmouth narrowly missed out on 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 Portsmouth were relegated straight back to the Second Division.
Portsmouth's centenary season, 1998–99, saw a serious financial crisis hit the club, and in December 1998 Portsmouth went into financial administration. Milan Mandarić saved the club with a takeover deal in May 1999, and the new chairman immediately started investing.
Harry Redknapp took over as manager in early 2002. Redknapp was able to make the most of Mandarić's willingness to invest in players at a time when competitors were struggling after the collapse of ITV Digital's television deal with the Football League. Just over a year later, Portsmouth were celebrating winning the Division One Championship and promotion to the Premier League, winning the title with a game to spare.
The club finished 13th, 16th and 17th in their first three Premier League seasons. Redknapp had resigned midway through the club's second Premier League season, after a disagreement with Mandarić, and went on to manage bitter rivals Southampton, only to return just over a year later. In January 2006, Portsmouth were bought by businessman Alexandre Gaydamak, whose funding allowed the club to buy practically a whole new squad mid-season. With large amounts of money available for the manager to make record signings, the club finished the 2006–07 season in the top half of the table for the first time, only one point short of European qualification.
The 2007–08 season saw Portsmouth finish eighth in the Premier League and reach the FA Cup final, which they won against Cardiff. The win earned them a place in the 2008–09 UEFA Cup, the club's first experience of European football.
On 25 October 2008, Redknapp left Portsmouth for a second time, with the club ultimately finishing the 2008–09 Premier League season in 14th place. On 26 May, Portsmouth accepted a bid from United Arab Emirates businessman Sulaiman Al Fahim to buy the club. However, due to financial problems and an ownership battle, the club was eventually purchased by Ali al-Faraj, who took over control. On 5 October, a deal was agreed for Al Faraj and his associates, via BVI-registered company Falcondrone, to hold a 90% majority holding, with Al-Fahim retaining a 10% stake and the title of non-executive chairman for two years. Falcondrone also agreed a deal with Gaydamak to buy, for £1, Miland Development (2004) Ltd, which owns various strategic pockets of land around the ground, once refinancing was complete. Two days after the Al-Faraj takeover was completed, Portsmouth's former Technical Director Avram Grant returned as Director of Football. However, because of the financial problems, the Premier League placed the club under a transfer embargo, meaning the club were not allowed to sign any players.
Avram Grant took over at Portsmouth on 26 November 2009, replacing former manager Paul Hart, who had been sacked by the board two days previously, due to the club's position at the bottom of the league.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) filed a winding-up petition against Portsmouth at the High Court in London on 23 December 2009. In March 2010, this winding-up petition was dropped, leaving Portsmouth with a nine-point penalty for entering administration. During the 2009–10 season, it had become apparent to the club's new owner Balram Chainrai that Portsmouth were approximately £135 million in debt so, to protect them from liquidation, Chainrai placed the club into administration on 26 February 2010. This automatically incurred a nine-point penalty from the FA Premier League, which came into effect on 17 March and consigned the team to almost certain relegation, which was mathematically confirmed on 10 April.
On 9 April, it was announced David Lampitt would be joining Portsmouth as their new CEO after he had worked a period of notice at the FA, his employer at the time. In May, Avram Grant resigned as Portsmouth manager. On 17 June, the club's creditors voted for a Company Voluntary Arrangement, with an 81.3% majority; Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC), Paul Hart and the agent of Portsmouth midfielder Tommy Smith were the only ones to reject it. On 17 August, Balram Chainrai completed his takeover of the club and passed the owners and directors’ fit and proper person test.
Former Notts County manager Steve Cotterill was appointed manager of the club in June 2010 on a three-year contract. Portsmouth finished the season with an eight-game winless run and ended up 16th with 58 points.
On 1 June 2011, Convers Sports Initiatives, owned by Russian Vladimir Antonov, completed its takeover of the club.
On 23 November 2011, a Europe-wide arrest warrant was issued for Portsmouth owner Antonov by Lithuanian prosecutors as part of an investigation into alleged asset stripping at Lithuanian bank Bankas Snoras, which is 68% owned by Antonov and had gone into temporary administration the previous week. On 29 November 2011, Antonov resigned as chairman of Portsmouth after parent company Convers Sports Initiatives entered administration. On 17 February, Portsmouth went into administration for the second time in two years, bringing them an automatic 10-point deduction. On 21 April, Portsmouth were relegated from the Championship, condemning them to League One – the first time in 30 years that the club had played at that level.
Following Pompey's relegation, the entire professional playing squad left the club.
On 9 November 2012, Chanrai halted his attempt to buy the club. Six days later, the Pompey Supporters’ Trust signed a conditional agreement with PFK to buy the club. Portsmouth were unable to find a manager on a long-term basis due to their financial state. The club went on a record winless run, playing their 20th game without a win in February 2013. The winless streak lasted a total of 23 matches, finally ending on 2 March 2013 as Portsmouth won away at Crewe Alexandra. On 10 April 2013, a deal with administrators was reached, although the Pompey Supporters' Trust had not yet finalised the purchase. Portsmouth were relegated to League Two at the end of the season.
On 19 April 2013, Portsmouth exited administration when the Pompey Supporters’ Trust’s deal to buy the club was completed.
On a historic announcement, on Monday 29 September 2014, the club was able to declare itself debt-free after paying back all creditors and all legacy payments to ex-players. The news came 18 months after the PST took control of the club.
Paul Cook led Portsmouth to an EFL League Two play-off spot in the 2015–16 season but lost to Plymouth Argyle in the semi-final.
In the 2016–17 EFL League Two season, Paul Cook's side secured promotion to League One and were crowned champions of League Two.
Paul Cook resigned on 31 May 2017 to join Wigan Athletic. Kenny Jackett was appointed the new manager on Friday 2 June 2017. In May the Pompey Supporters' Trust (PST) voted in favour of a proposed bid by The Tornante Company, headed by former Disney chief executive Michael Eisner, to take over the club which was completed on 3 August 2017.
On 15 March 2018, Portsmouth revealed a newly redesigned club crest, featuring a new nautical compass star and an "1898" date, added for the founding year of the football club. The new crest was introduced for the new 2018–19 season.
Portsmouth remained undefeated in the 2018–19 EFL League One campaign for eleven consecutive league matches and topped the League One table. On Sunday 31 March 2019, Portsmouth met Sunderland in the 2019 EFL Trophy Final and won the cup with by a penalty shootout.
Portsmouth's qualified for the League One play-offs which they lost to Sunderland at the semi-final stage at the conclusion of the 2018/19 season.
The Manager – Kenny Jackett
Form Guide
Portsmouth Last 5 Matches – currently in 10th place with 28 points
5 Nov Portsmouth 4 - 1 Southend Utd
16 Nov Portsmouth pp. Fleetwood
23 Nov Rochdale 0 - 3 Portsmouth
26 Nov Portsmouth 3 - 2 Rotherham
7 Dec Portsmouth 2 - 2 Peterborough
14 Dec Accrington 4 - 1 Portsmouth
Ipswich Last 5 Matches – currently in 2nd place with 36 points
5 Nov Rochdale 0 - 1 Ipswich Town
16 Nov Oxford Utd pp. Ipswich Town
23 Nov Ipswich Town 2 - 2 Blackpool
26 Nov Ipswich Town 0 - 0 Wycombe
7 Dec Coventry City 1 - 1 Ipswich Town
14 Dec Ipswich Town 1 - 2 Bristol Rovers
Marko’s Caption Competition -THE DON CUP
Looking like a three horse race and its not even Christmas yet. Couple New Year pictures going into the caption competition next week. Keep the humour coming.
Bristol Rovers scores
AylesburyBlue (Cap 2) 5pts
DerickIpsw (Cap 1) 4pts
Bluemike & Shed on Tour (Cap 1) 3pts
AylesburyBlue (Cap 1) Blueblood & Quasar 2pts
LEAGUE TABLE
AylesburyBlue 64
DerickIpsw 53
Bluemike 51
Blue Wilf 38
Ando 35
Blueblood 34
Number 9 33
JohnnyB 21
Shed on Tour 20
Tangfastic 19
Quasar 18
Frosty 13
Kerry Blue 11
Watership Down 10
Barmy Billy 8
Todd66 6
Nicscreamer 5
Charnwood 3
IpswichTownNO1 2
AshfordBlue 1
Lucy 1
MasseyFerguson 1
Portsmouth caption picture
Match Referee – Brett Huxtable
PORTSMOUTH 1 IPSWICH TOWN 1
Holy dropped Wilson dropped and why drop Jackson i really dont understand. Let's hope we win and are proved wrong.
