Portsmouth FC: The Rebuild starts now
There were celebrations in the City of Portsmouth yesterday as the club finally exited administration for the first time since February 2012, they have repeatedly faced the threat of liquidisation in the past 14 months but they have survived at times by the slimmest of margins.
They became the largest fan-owned football club in England following the purchase of Fratton Park by the Pompey Supporters trust which allowed them to complete the buy-out of the club taking them out of administration. Despite the great news for the club they must now put plans in place on how to rebuild the club after their sad demise from FA cup winners to League 2 in just five years.
During their time in administration the financial troubles have torn apart the squad which took the team to Europe as they were forced to sell off top stars and high earners at cut price to lighten the wage bill. When they were relegated to League one for the first time in 30 years their entire professional playing squad left the club.
Despite this the club managed to re-build the squad with experienced free transfers and loan signings however they faced another tough season which saw them struggle through a 20 game winless run. They were eventually condemned to relegation to League 2 with a 1-0 loss to Oldham on April the 16th.
The club will begin life in League 2 next season for the first time since the 1970’s however although they have slipped from a mid-table team in the top flight all the way down to the basement of the football league system, with the Pompey Supporters Trust buying the club the future may be brighter than most people would have first thought possible.
The club has continually beaten the odds in the face of liquidation and they can now take pride in that hard work that has kept the club in business. They can now put plans onto a stable base and rebuild the club as they attempt the long road back towards the top of English Football.
It’s going to be a difficult task but Portsmouth fans have more reason to be optimistic than most as they now have a club with stable foundations, run by the fans who have the best interest for the club at heart and they can hopefully put the threat of administration in the past for good.
Josh Weale
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