Club Profile:Portsmouth

Portsmouth
Overview
Portsmouth have not looked back since Harry Redknapp steered them to promotion into the Barclaycard Premiership in 2003. The top flight's most southern team comfortably remained in the division the following season and were successful in their fight against relegation in the 2005/06 campaign.

Once survival was secured, Alexandre Gaydamak took over the club and has injected several million pounds into bolstering the squad. The 2006/07 season saw Portsmouth come within a whisker of qualifying for the UEFA Cup.

Redknapp's ability to attract the likes of Sol Campbell and David James as well as a number of overseas players such as Kanu helped the club to a ninth-place finish, beating the likes of Manchester United and avoiding defeat against Arsenal.

They achieved the goal of UEFA Cup football last season as they won the FA Cup for the first time since 1939 after beating Cardiff City 1-0 in the final at Wembley Stadium. They also went one better in the league, finishing eighth.

Redknapp had resigned from his post in November 2004 but was reappointed in December 2005 after a stint at local rivals Southampton. He left in October 2008 to take over at Tottenham Hotspur.

Portsmouth were the first club to stage a Football League match under floodlights when Newcastle United visited Fratton Park in 1956.

Club Heritage
The club was founded in 1898 and played its first league match against Chatham Town on 2nd September 1899. A record of 20 wins from 28 matches earned Pompey a runners-up spot that season in the Southern League. They won the division for the first time in the 1901/02 season.

In 1927, the club made their debut in the First Division and they went on to reach the FA Cup final the following campaign. It was third time lucky in the FA Cup final in 1939. After the previous two finals ended in defeat, Pompey swept to a 4-1 win over favourites Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The first of back-to-back titles were claimed in the 1948/49 campaign in the club's Golden Jubilee season. A 5-1 thrashing of Aston Villa on the last day of the following season sealed the title again. Pompey are one of only five clubs to have won two consecutive titles since the Second World War.

In 1976, the club found itself in the Third Division and needing to raise £25,000 in order to pay off debts and avoid bankruptcy. Local newspaper The News led a campaign to save the club and the money was raised by supporter contributions.

Premier League History
1999/00 - Milan Mandaric takes over club
2004/05 - Harry Redknapp resigns as manager and Velimir Zajec becomes caretaker manager
2004/05 - Alain Perrin appointed manager, with Zajec reverting to director's role
2005/06 - Perrin sacked and Redknapp appointed manager
2005/06 - Mandaric sells 50 per cent stake to Alexandre Gaydamak in January 2006, then his remaining half to the Russian after the club avoided relegation
2006/07 - Mandaric resigns as chairman on 21st September 2006
2007/08 - Striker John Utaka signs in club record transfer of a reported £8.1million
2007/08 - Set new record for goals scored in a Premier League match (11) beating Reading 7-4 in September
2007/08 - Win FA Cup
2008/09 - Manager Harry Redknapp leaves to take over at Tottenham Hotspur. Tony Adams takes over on 28th October, 2008.
2008/09 - Manager Tony Adams is sacked on 9th February 2009 after just two wins in 16 Barclays Premier League matches. Director of youth operations Paul Hart takes caretaker charge.