The Rise and Fall of Portsmouth Football Club

(Above) Portsmouth’s famous Fratton End has been witness to their remarkable descent through the Football League.

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The story of Portsmouth Football Club is one full of blistering heights and tremendous lows. The south coast club perhaps overachieved in their days in the Premiership, winning the FA Cup, qualifying for Europe and having a host of international stars entertaining the fans. But when financial trouble struck, things went from bad to worse. The Portsmouth Supporters’ Trust saved the club when it was on the brink of extinction. Captain at the time, Johnny Ertl, took me through what it was like to play for Pompey during this difficult period and spoke with optimism, as a fan like myself, for the future. Now residing in League One it looks like the club is finally stable, but how did it all come to this?

2007/2008 was arguably Portsmouth’s most successful season in their history. They finished 8th in the Premier League, won the FA Cup and qualified for the UEFA Cup as a result. The FA cup run included beating Manchester United in the quarter final, before beating West Bromwich Albion in the semi, and Cardiff City in the final. This was the highest Pompey got before things started to go downhill. Another FA Cup final followed in 2010 but ended in a 1-0 loss to Chelsea. The season finished in relegation and three years later Portsmouth found themselves in League 2. It was financial problems which almost sunk the seaside club. Debts of up to £135 million and multiple ownership changes almost resulted in liquidation.

Johnny Ertl joined Pompey in 2012, the same season they were relegated from League one. He joined after the whole playing squad left the club after entering administration for the second time and being relegated from the Championship. The club was swarmed with problems. Despite this, Ertl spoke positively of his decision to join Pompey, “It was a very easy decision to make because I’d played several times at Fratton Park and I knew it was a special place with a special crowd, so for me it was a great option.” The one thing the club hadn’t lost during the worst period in their history was the fans, and this would prove vital. “It turned out to be the best move of my life,” Ertl said, clearly showing his love for the club. Speaking to him felt like having a conversation with another Pompey fan.

Pompey’s captain and 2012/13 Player of the Season – Johnny Ertl (Credit: JohnnyErtl.com)

It wasn’t plain sailing when Ertl joined the club however. Pompey endured a 23-match winless run whilst the problem off the field continued. “Nobody knew what was going on behind the scenes, not even the playing staff. Promises were made on top of promises. We all wanted to get out of administration sooner rather than later, but there were so many hidden flaws at Pompey and the club really paid the price for their success in the past.”

Ertl was made captain during the 2012/13 season by then manager Guy Whittingham. “That was really cool, it was one of my goals in England when I moved over.” Ertl had also played for Crystal Palace and Sheffield United before joining the Blues. “Being the captain of such a great club is always a special moment.”

Ertl’s captaincy was hindered by the financial problems the club was experiencing at the time, as was a lot of the work players were putting in during that time. “It was difficult, sometimes I could have concentrated more on the pitch, but I had certain duties off the pitch [because of the unique problems behind the scenes].”

On the 19thApril 2013 Portsmouth exited administration when the Supporters’ Trust completed a deal to purchase the club. “We all knew, even when we came out of administration, that Rome wasn’t built in one day.”

Pam Wilkins, member of the Supporters’ Trust board and vice chair from 2015-2017, said it was “absolutely vital for the club to be owned and run by people who care most about it and want to run it correctly, and that was the Trust.” Portsmouth became the largest fan-owned club after the takeover, and the club went from strength to strength under the new ownership. Ertl also spoke of how important it was for the club to be in the hands of the fans, “I think this was the best decision ever because after such a difficult time at the club, with so many different owners and so many different problems, I think the fans knew best.”

There was also a personal achievement for Ertl at the end of the 12/13 season as he was awarded supporters’ player of the season. “I would say it was one of the best moments of my career. When the supporters named me player of the year and you have that trophy with your name written on it amongst the other Pompey greats… it was a very special moment.”

Over the next couple of seasons there was renewed optimism amongst the fans, players and city. The club were at the very beginnings of their journey back to the Premier League. The Supporters’ Trust owned the club for over two years and their last act was to see the Blue Army win the League 2 title on the last day of the season. Portsmouth commentator and lifelong fan Dan Shaw said “It was a wonderful way for the Trust and the Chairman to bow out. You could not have written the script any better and looking down from the commentary box to the sea of supporters celebrating on the turf will be something I’ll never forget.”

At the start of the 2017/18 season the Tornante group, owned by ex-Disney CEO Michael Eisner, bought Portsmouth from the Supporters’ Trust. It was a move seen by many as the necessary next step in order for Pompey to get back to where they belonged. The Supporters’ Trust had carried the club as far as they could. Ertl is also optimistic for a stable and successful future under Eisner: “It was a really positive takeover, he wasn’t the first person to approach Pompey, but it was clear he was the right person.” Shaw agreed saying “I don’t think there’s anyone else I’d rather trust the club with, apart from the Trust.”

After narrowly missing out on a League One play-off spot by 5 points, Pompey will be hoping to build on the stable foundations now set by the new owners, the Trust, and the staff and players over the last few years. It’s been a long and painful journey for everyone connected with Portsmouth Football Club, but it looks like they could finally, as the fans sing from the stands at Fratton Park, ‘be on their way’.

 

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