We have some great memories of the past 10 years. Promotion to the Premier League with 'Arry & Jim in 2003 Spending 24 hours at the Top of the Premier League (26/8/03) 7 seasons at the top table, playing at Old Trafford, The Emirates etc The FA Cup 2-0 up against AC Milan at Fratton Park in the Europa League ....and then BUMP 2 lots of Administration No new owners No money A League One campaign ahead. Old Trafford and The Emirates replaced by Gigg Lane and Victoria Park. The First Round of the FA Cup The Johnsons Paint Trophy So the question is.... Would you be prepared to erase all those memories from the first section if we'd had a team which spent the past 10 seasons in the higher echelons of the Championship, always threatening the playoffs and never dicing with danger in the footballing or financial aspects? In short... was it worth it?
No way, it wasn't worth it Your in more trouble than ever, and I just can't see you coming out of it Saying that, I want to wish you lot luck for the future, and I hope, for your sake as much as ours, it turns out ok! Whats life without a bit of rivalry eh
Hindsight is a wonderful thing Devon and any sane man would say it was not worth it. As it happens, my job prevented me from attending more than a total of about 12 games between 2002 and 2006 and even in the Cup winning year I only managed about 10 home and way. Ironically, I have only had a season ticket for the last two seasons. I may even have made a few more games if we had been in the Championship as there would have be more seats available at short notice. So I can honestly say that my support would have been the same had we never had the years of success. After all, you cannot miss what you have never had. However, we did have those golden years and I will always have those wonderful memories.
devo, at the end of the day, not worth it But, it was enjoyable at the time - especially when we hammered Bolton with Teddy Sheringham's brilliant hat trick, to go top of the table, albeit for a day or two
You miss the key negative - it has put the club on the brink of extinction and if it does the survive it has likely set them back for decades to come. Those 7 years of Prem TV money could have been used to build a stadium, build a training ground and improve the academy, all making the club more attractive for investment. Any fan that says those positives you listed are worth it even if the club goes out of business is an idiot.
The real question is "would we be in this position if.......... " a) we hadn't gained promotion to the Premier League with 'Arry & Jim in 2003 b) we hadn't spent 24 hours at the Top of the Premier League (26/8/03) c) we hadn't spent 7 seasons at the top table, playing at Old Trafford, The Emirates etc d) we hadn't won the FA Cup e) we hadn't gone 2-0 up against AC Milan at Fratton Park in the Europa League I think the answer is still "yes". We can discount everything before 2006 - Milan Mandaric did not bleed the club dry. He didn't invest in the infrastructure (which is unforgiveable) and he got a nice fat profit (allegedly) but he didn't take us to the brink. 2006-2009 was Gaydamak's tenure and he is the sole cause of our problems. He chucked money in like confetti, he also didn't invest in the infrastructure and he has kept hold of part of the ground (outside the club) for his own purposes - he played with his toy until he had no cash left (allegedly his father's) and then he walked away, having recouped some of his cash from Al Fahim. 2009-2010-2011 the business continued to rot under the el Mirage and Chanrai tenures. Let's not forget Storrie's part in all this either. 2011-2012 the business began to indicate small beginnings of sense with CSI - they let Cotterill go and appointed the lowest paid Manager of the Championship......... and then the Lithuanian government stepped in, froze Antonov's assets, Chanrai put CSI into admin, and it was inevitable that Pompey would end up in the mire as a result. So in some ways those memories are the only consolation for the fans - the people who did not manage the club badly, did not bleed the club dry, who did not cause the club to go into admin. On another thread Pompey_Ant pointed out that the Antonov crimes are still "alleged" - what if he isn't found guilty? I suppose all will become clear in the fullness of time.
Of COURSE it was worth it!!! The only way it wouldn't be is if the club does go in to liquidation. I can't see that happening though, and as such, of course I believe it was worth it. My Dad has supported Pompey for 35 years, and he said that he has seen times at Pompey he would never hve even have dremt of in the past
I think it was fully worth it- so long as we don't go into liquidation, or spend more than two or three years in League 1 or below ..
If Pompey do survive I hope they acquire players who are hungry - recruiting from League 2 and even non-League rather than has been the habit for many a year of getting washed up rejects from other Premiership clubs. Am I right in thinking that Pompey still have a squad of players with more Premiership experience than Southampton's? Indeed one of Pompey's best ever signing was recruited from the Army!!
Most lower division clubs can only dream of what Pompey achieved during those seven incredible years at the top. Count yourselves lucky that it happened at all!
If we stay alive as a Club..... Then yes.....It was worth it for me. I wouldn't trade those memories for anything. But, that is only and only if we stay alive as a club.
Of course it was worth it. what's the point in football if you don't strive to succeed. As others have said the only way it wouldn't be worth it is if we went out of existence (can't see it happening).
Just remember it happened to Saints first, and the funny thing is they didn't even have a cup to show for their troubles
Quite right, although we did have a stadium, this being the thing which did for us, just as the FA Cup did for Pompey. It may not have such ecstatic memories, but I think it would be rather handy for you right now. If you had to chose between the Cup and a shiny new stadium, which would you go for? Personally, I think investing in property is a good long term bet!
