When you were in the premier league, I watched your televised games (obviously rooting for the opposition) but beyond your results and the odd article in the News I cannot profess to a great knowledge of your form and play at the moment. I know your great run ended recently, and there will be problems next year with the number of contracted players, but how is the team doing? For those of you who have seen Saints play a few times this year, honestly, how do the teams compare? The transition from League One to Championship is a grey border, therefore I would go for the safe option and say that home advantage would decide it. Also do you relish a possible relighting of the derby next year, or are perhaps concerned at the player issues of Pompey and our supposed ability to recuit further? Just looking for honest, sensible opinions, and please dont have a late surge into the play-offs, I do dearly miss waving at you from across a line of stewards. Thoughts?
During our recent run some people, understandably, began to look at the playoffs as a realistic target. 1 point from our last 2 games has, however, seen us drop back out of the top half. When you consider that, earlier this year we weren't sure if we would even have a team to support and that most of us had 50 points and 21st place as our season's target, we all have to agree that the team has surpassed itself to get where it is today. A top half finish would be beyond some of our wildest dreams, especially when we awoke to this headline, less than 5 months ago! http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/p/portsmouth/9120108.stm I think the playoffs are out of our reach. I would be more than delighted to be proved wrong, although the prospect of 2, 4, maybe even 6 derby fixtures next season would make another season in the Championship all the more interesting!
We are and will stay in the Championship this season. You MLRA have yet to get there, so you may wish to wait until you have seen how the likes of Peterborough United, Bournemouth and Huddersfield do in their remaining games! I will miss watching your League 1 match live next weekend, like most sports fans, as there is an important England Six Nations Rugby fixture televised at the same time!
It will be shown later as a repeat so you don't have to worry on that score SB3. Though it is possible that seeing us at our best might scare the pants of you. Now there's a thought.
