Eastneypfc if PL brings his personal life to the boards and even more so to the Saints boards then I am afraid he's a fool. I do love the fact that we as Saints fans are so arogante because we are doing well, like any football fan when their team is punching above all expectations then passion and dreams
Seeing the situation with both clubs it is difficult not to recall the opening lines of the book by Portsmouth's most famous resident - "It was the best of time and it was the worst of times." I think Saints' situation could change yet the foundations that have been put in place with the EP3 compliant academy and the calibre within the current squad does mean that , if the wheels do come off this campaign, we will still be in the top 10 within the league. Personally, I can't see this happening. I agree that teams like Liverpool, Arsenal and Man Utd have not been great this season but there is a sea change in the game and this is leaving room for better organised clubs like Southampton to re-establish the niche they had under the days of Lawrie Mac. I would also say that I think Arsenal are in terminal decline and we are in the dog-days of Wenger's reign. It looks like Liverpool over-relied upon Suarez last season and I think Rodgers seems over-rated as a manager. The only one of the three I can see coming good are Man Utd as the players are taking a long time to adjust to Van Gaal. A good point has been raised about the contrasting fortunes of Saints and Portsmouth and the might-have-beens had the Fratton Faithful been rewarded with a well-organised set up, sound investment and concentrated on tapping up the local, talent from the schools in the area. Redknapp probably contributed to you fall from grace by building his blue and white castle on sand yet it is still not clear whether PFC's downward journey has been completed as you rest three points above the relegation place. Portsmouth's continuing spiral should have been abated by the supporter's trust yet the experience of appointing unsuitable and incapable managers has continued along with the propensity for large squads albeit this time the playing staff is mediocre at best. I can only base my perceptions on what I have read in the papers and heard during radio commentaries but what should have been an experiment which offered an alternative to running what had become a "basket case" club and established a new tradition whereby the club reflected and matched the aspirations of the community has, so far, not worked. As I've said previously on this board, this is a model which needs to be successful so that other lower league clubs may follow the example but I wonder if the right people are running your club or whether the expertise exits there beyond the passion to transform your fortunes. Most Saints fans barely consider Portsmouth as serious rivals anymore and the gap between our professional and modern club and your almost cottage industry team which garners the same kind of bemusement as many local non-league clubs has never been so pronounced. There has never been a better time to be a Saints fan but I would also say that there has probably never been a time when the aspiration of Portsmouth's supporters has widened beyond your likely fate. Portsmouth should not be in this position, in my opinion and you wonder if your club will ever reach the Championship where you belong and whether the rivalry between the two clubs can be meaningful in the future?
Firstly, Saint Possum, it was just really asking for advice from the collective wisdom of the Saints board, or to provide updates as I'm sure those who dispensed advice would be interested in how it went. Secondly, even still that doesn't make it 'fair game' Also, Pompey Ladies are pretty good, but I'm not arrogant about them
I can't wait for Pompey's game at Eastleigh next season (assuming that Eastleigh don't get promoted)....
SaintPossum please note I did not call your fans arrogant - merely alluded to some previous posts - I think you are all entitled to feel very happy with things in regard to your club - you have for quite a while and are currently being run as a professional football club should be - professionally - and reaping the rewards it brings currently, and yes PL may have opened up a bit on the Saints board but I guess he'll think twice about doing that again. Ian T I think the road back to a higher level of football for us will take time - maybe as many as 5-6 years to be possibly back in the Championship which I would say is where our aspirations should be. Beyond that I am not sure - I can honestly say the time spent in that division is the one I remember most warmly in regard to Pompey. Believe that Dickens would have loved the story that has unfolded across the two sides of the county - it certainly contains all the right ingredients for a great yarn. Not sure our experiment has failed yet - I think patience is required on all fronts - and saints alive you are a cheeky fellow - the diviision is erratic and yesterdays results showed that - I am not sure that we'll trouble the play offs this season but am quietly confident we won't go down.
There were quite a few Eastleigh fans at the Winchester City match yesterday as the game was called off at Halifax. They seemed to be looking forward to encountering Portsmouth in 2015/16.
Will make you a little blinkered. The fact that the clubs ambitions has been on track since the Liebherr family took over is a credit to them and the club is being run in the right way is also a credit to them. If we have success it will not have been brought and bankrolled like so many before. You can't have a football club these days without a financial benefactor at the helm and we are very very fortunate to havebloodygood one. Sorry never finished my comment earlier as having trouble with new phone.
NP at all Saint P - the above addition makes sense and I believe in the top flight you are right re benefactor's - the Champinship is not far behind in that respect. You have my phone symapthies as am encountering similar with the new site - my phone keyboard disappears every couple of secs meaning I have to log on to a PC to pass comment on anything.
I'm still concerned about the latest audited and interim accounts that SB3 alluded to. Where is he when you need him?
It only says that on your full profile, which most won't bother to look at. So, to the vast majority, its just portsmouth surrender.
