PompeyFrippy
Vital 1st Team Regular
Pompey were on one of their best runs of form in recorded history winning 9 and drawing 1 of the last 11 games. In a run which changed a toothless looking timid team into ferocious and merciless warriors - Pompey had come good when it mattered most and in doing so had escaped the basement division.
Without having to endure the lottery of the playoffs, Pompey only had one match in May. Weeks ahead of the match many saw this as an end-of-season carnival, promotion already in the bag and nothing to play for, let's just have a bit of a party to see the season out. But a succession of freak results had actually meant that the final day of the season could see any one of three teams lift the League Two trophy. Pompey entered the day as third favourites, having to rely on other results going our way for any hope of a celebration.
Doncaster had topped the lead for all of 2017, and despite only needing 2 points from their final 4 games to wrap up the league they continued to trip over their own feet and lost 3 in a row. They travelled to Hartlepool who had only picked up 2 points from their last 27.
Plymouth were now in the driving seat thanks to Donny's recent slip ups, and a win away to Grimsby (who had nothing to play for) would ensure they took the trophy home to Devon.
Pompey could only do what they needed to against Cheltenham and hope both rivals failed to win.
Pompey couldn't have asked for a better start when 13 minutes in a cross from Player of the Season Enda Stevens was sliced into his own net by Finland international Daniel O'Shaughnessy, which put Pompey top of the league for the first time this season!
Grimsby had taken the lead against Plymouth, but Pompey's first visit to the top of the league only lasted 17 minutes as news from elsewhere filtered through that Doncaster had taken the lead against Hartlepool.
Back at Fratton, Cheltenham came out all guns blazing in the second half and looked the more likely to score, until Pompey decided to score 4 goals in 12 minutes. Bennett started things off when his deflected shot wrong footed Scott Brown, before Naismith, Lowe and Evans made it 5-0. But Pompey could have scored 20, it wouldn't have made a difference, the most important goal was going to be scored 325 miles away from the Fratton End.
Hartlepool's Devante Rodney had equalised for the Monkey Hangers in a move that put Pompey back on top of the league and Fratton Park erupted! Minutes later another even louder cheer went up as news filtered through that Rodney had put the 'Pool 2-1 ahead.
Kal Naismith scored again to make it 6-1 after James Deyton had pulled one back, but the result at Fratton was now academic, all eyes were on Blundell Park where Plymouth had equalised against Grimsby and only needed a goal to win the league.
The clocked ticked down at Fratton, and with Doncaster out of the running, people were frantically phoning anybody they could for information. As the final whistle blew at Fratton, some fans jumped the gun and celebrated on the pitch, but 25 seconds later a massive cheer had gone up as the final whistle blew at Grimsby which confirmed that Portsmouth against all odds were the 2016/17 Champions of League Two!
Within a blink of an eye there were 17,000 people on the hallowed Fratton turf, most still in disbelief at how the league had unfolded. Plymouth, who led the league for 22 weeks had bottled it, Doncaster who had been top for 16 weeks had choked by losing their last 4 games, and somehow Portsmouth, who had been top of the league for 34 minutes in total all season would now be lifting the trophy (although not today!).
The season was over, but fans and players would celebrate long into the night reminiscing of all the highs and lows throughout not just this season, but the last decade. After years of suffering, relegations, administrations, near-liquidation and being kicked when we were down, Pompey were now on their way back up and those who had stuck with the club through thick and thin had earnt a night to celebrate this.
It was a season that none of us will forget in a hurry, at times it looked impossible but Pompey had won the League and now they look forward to a summer of strengthening, both on the pitch and in the boardroom as we look to do it all over again in August.
League One, We're on our Way!
Without having to endure the lottery of the playoffs, Pompey only had one match in May. Weeks ahead of the match many saw this as an end-of-season carnival, promotion already in the bag and nothing to play for, let's just have a bit of a party to see the season out. But a succession of freak results had actually meant that the final day of the season could see any one of three teams lift the League Two trophy. Pompey entered the day as third favourites, having to rely on other results going our way for any hope of a celebration.
Doncaster had topped the lead for all of 2017, and despite only needing 2 points from their final 4 games to wrap up the league they continued to trip over their own feet and lost 3 in a row. They travelled to Hartlepool who had only picked up 2 points from their last 27.
Plymouth were now in the driving seat thanks to Donny's recent slip ups, and a win away to Grimsby (who had nothing to play for) would ensure they took the trophy home to Devon.
Pompey could only do what they needed to against Cheltenham and hope both rivals failed to win.
Pompey couldn't have asked for a better start when 13 minutes in a cross from Player of the Season Enda Stevens was sliced into his own net by Finland international Daniel O'Shaughnessy, which put Pompey top of the league for the first time this season!
Grimsby had taken the lead against Plymouth, but Pompey's first visit to the top of the league only lasted 17 minutes as news from elsewhere filtered through that Doncaster had taken the lead against Hartlepool.
Back at Fratton, Cheltenham came out all guns blazing in the second half and looked the more likely to score, until Pompey decided to score 4 goals in 12 minutes. Bennett started things off when his deflected shot wrong footed Scott Brown, before Naismith, Lowe and Evans made it 5-0. But Pompey could have scored 20, it wouldn't have made a difference, the most important goal was going to be scored 325 miles away from the Fratton End.
Hartlepool's Devante Rodney had equalised for the Monkey Hangers in a move that put Pompey back on top of the league and Fratton Park erupted! Minutes later another even louder cheer went up as news filtered through that Rodney had put the 'Pool 2-1 ahead.
Kal Naismith scored again to make it 6-1 after James Deyton had pulled one back, but the result at Fratton was now academic, all eyes were on Blundell Park where Plymouth had equalised against Grimsby and only needed a goal to win the league.
The clocked ticked down at Fratton, and with Doncaster out of the running, people were frantically phoning anybody they could for information. As the final whistle blew at Fratton, some fans jumped the gun and celebrated on the pitch, but 25 seconds later a massive cheer had gone up as the final whistle blew at Grimsby which confirmed that Portsmouth against all odds were the 2016/17 Champions of League Two!
Within a blink of an eye there were 17,000 people on the hallowed Fratton turf, most still in disbelief at how the league had unfolded. Plymouth, who led the league for 22 weeks had bottled it, Doncaster who had been top for 16 weeks had choked by losing their last 4 games, and somehow Portsmouth, who had been top of the league for 34 minutes in total all season would now be lifting the trophy (although not today!).
The season was over, but fans and players would celebrate long into the night reminiscing of all the highs and lows throughout not just this season, but the last decade. After years of suffering, relegations, administrations, near-liquidation and being kicked when we were down, Pompey were now on their way back up and those who had stuck with the club through thick and thin had earnt a night to celebrate this.
It was a season that none of us will forget in a hurry, at times it looked impossible but Pompey had won the League and now they look forward to a summer of strengthening, both on the pitch and in the boardroom as we look to do it all over again in August.
League One, We're on our Way!
