The Shocking Truth About The Downfall Of Portsmouth FC

In the 2007-08 season, Portsmouth won the FA Cup and finished eighth in the Premier League, as Pompey owner Sacha Gaydanak promised the club would challenge the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea.

And yet, just seven months later, Portsmouth had descended into financial meltdown, beginning an era of chaos, administration, and three relegations, as Pompey almost fell out of existence on multiple occasions.

In this documentary, HITC Sevens take a look at the rise and fall of Portsmouth FC, the string of catastrophic owners at Fratton Park, and how the League One side are looking to rebuild now, under the stewardship of Michael Eisner.

[MenWithVen]

Still hoping for a "What on Earth is Going on at Sunderland?
I saw you sneak Ricky Alvarez and Jack Rodwell into the intro of the "Restrictive Transfer Policy" video.

I love these type of videos you do and I think we are definitely worth a deep dive given the ineptitude on show over the years.

Sunderland til I die showed our relegation to league one and failed attempt to get promoted back to the Championship, but a detailed look at the Premier League years before our relegation would be great, also looking at how things went after STID.

The amount of bad luck and awful decisions and from board level down to the pitch is staggering. In the Ellis Short era, and then the Stewart Donald era. And now we are owned by a 24 year old heir to a billionaires fortune whose father owned Marseille.

-England losing against Iceland essentially resulting in us losing Allardyce, a great manager for us at the time, only for him to be sacked by England after 1 game.
-At one point having the 6th highest wage bill in the Premier League with nothing really to show for it.
-The purchase of Ricky Alvarez, not playing him, trying to back out of signing him, losing a lawsuit to Inter Milan and still suffering financial implications to this day.
-Signing the appalling Jack Rodwell and being financially crippled for years again
-Playing Adam Johnson when the execs knew he was under investigation for sexual activity with a child.
-Signing Emmanuel Eboue, announcing him, then terminating his contract 3 weeks later as he was banned for all football activities for failing to pay an agent.
-Well known drinking culture among players, general poor professionalism.
-Darron Gibson getting arrested for drink driving after a car crash. Gibson also filmed on social media off his tits bad mouthing the team and manager whilst still a player.
-Losing our top scorer in League 1 in January
-Buying Will Grigg for 3 million pounds in League 1 because the owner at the time wanted to look like a big shot and then going on to be a Rodwellesque flop.
-Losing twice at Wembley in League 1 including in the playoff final in the 95th minute.
-Missing out on the playoffs after the season was cancelled due to COVID
-Losing again in the playoffs last season.
-Losing our top scorer last season to Wigan for nothing
-Losing our club captain last season to Wigan for nothing

[freddiejohnson]

As someone who lives in Portsmouth and was around during this whole period. It was one of those too good to be true time periods where they seemed to keep signing top English players for the time when you had to ask how they could possibly afford not just the fees but the wages. Even then very few at the time were asking questions as after promotion to the Premier League as things were always looking up. Milan Mandaric's selling the club was the moment things got out of control as from that point on from the spending to constant promises of redevelopment of the stadium or building a new one who then proceeded to sell the club to a guy who pretty much pulled the wool over everyone's eyes including the Premier League.

Lets face it all everyone ever thought when they seen it was the same guy that played a huge part in the Man City deal was that he must have money and it will be good for the league as a whole. If anything the Premier League is just as much responsible for allowing this as anyone something that made the future of the club suffer for many years later.

[FootballDrawn]

I remember the time when Portmouth had some ambitious transfer window, with having people coaches Harry Redknapp, and players like Sol Campbell and Jermain Defoe, all of them to sign for a club that was promoted just a while before that. Another brilliant video from HITC and Alfie ⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽

[GodlessScummer]

I'm a Southampton fan but I took no pleasure in what happened to Portsmouth. I wouldn't wish what happened to them on any football club.

[mohussain]

Portmouth FC is a cautionary tale of confidence tricksters after confidence tricksters trying to obtain football clubs only to asset strip them, turn a quick buck and flee with the money. Absolutely shocking what all the conmen did to this famous old football club. No football fan deserves this.
I sincerely hope Portsmouth rise up from the ashes one day.

[daveoaktowers]

When Pompey were promoted and then winning the league two title I cried with joy. As Ian Darke put it aptly, after such an awful time it was as if we'd been given the all clear from a horrible illness and celebrating that high after falling from the top league.

It was also the final game under fan ownership and felt like a fitting ending after saving the club from the brink.

(Did mean then Pompey had won all 4 professional leagues too)

[dannyrussell]

It still breaks my heart. I remember the betrayal of each sham owner like it was yesterday. Great vid! Research is thorough and it makes the muddy tidal waters quite clear.

[coyotelong]

I’m a Tottenham fan but I miss having Portsmouth in the Prem, they’re just a fun club… Pompey fans are such a passionate, “No One Likes Us, We Don’t Care” type of fanbase. Fratton Park is such an iconic stadium. The rivalry with Southampton makes for a great derby to watch as a neutral.

Here’s hoping Pompey rise again ⭐️ 🌙 🔵

[TomPFC]

As a season ticket holder who grew up LIVING this, in constant fear of my club disappearing forever - this video is massively appreciated, and was unexpected. Cheers Alfie.

[BOABModels]

As a Portsmouth fan, this was definitely a video I was waiting for. I also attended the semi and final - bloody nervous before both games.
Fun fact - aside from Fratton Park, I've been to the new Wembley more than any other stadium.

Also, Appleton resigned I thought. I was gutted when he left.

[Pro_Butcher_Amateur_Human]

I went to my first match in the same season we got promoted to the Premier League, it was a 3-0 win with Burton, Todorov and Merson scoring. I fell in love with the club that day. Specifically, when Merson floated a perfect pass from inside his own half, onto Todorov's chest on the corner of the opposition penalty box.

I was 16 when we won the FA Cup. I only knew the halycon days of wild success. Promotion, survival, playing against Man Utd and Chelsea.

Our downfall was utterly shocking to me. It still is, to be honest. We had a series of cartoonish villains as owners, we were let down by the league's fit and proper persons assessments, and we let our desire for glory overrule our common sense.

I remember when we got relegated, before the PST bought the club, going to the last match of the season and wondering if the club would go under, if I'd ever again walk down from the train station to the ground, buy a program and a salmonella burger, and then be part of the best football atmosphere I've ever encountered.

When the club was saved by the PST, it's difficult to put into words how much it meants to the fans.

Now, we are starting to climb up again, but the slow going has some fans thinking (wrongly, IMHO) that we've fallen prey to another confidence huckstar with plans to bleed the club dry.

I don't believe that myself, but I understand that fear. Having gone through that once, it's the biggest fear of any fan old enough to remember what it was like.

Personally, I'm glad we finally have an owner who is trying to run the club in a sustainable way. We lived beyond our means for far too long.

[debayanbhunia]

These documentaries are the reason why hitc sevens and Rabona tv are the best football channels

[Cespar]

Please do a video on Wimbledon FC rise and fall and how their fall spawned two football clubs from one. Love 👊

[chlcrk]

I saw Portsmouth at MK Dons in League One over the weekend just gone and it still amazes me how quickly the Pompey house of cards collapsed, let alone some of the crazy stories mentioned here. It is extraordinary just how quickly it unravelled between 2008 and 2013 and some of the characters involved in the drama. Good film. Keep up the good work

[benedictwallis]

As a portsmouth fan, I would do it all again! Tough times followed the FA Cup win but to sit soulless in the Premier league like West Ham, Newcastle, Scum and Burnley is not what football is about. I would love a Premier League return but life outside brings back football and the match day experience back to its real fans. Great video and thank you for uncovering and stitching together the whole story!

[tejas]

"Portsmouth" the name brings in so much nostalgia.
I started following PL at that time. Crouch, Defoe, Muntari, remember all these names

[harrytwood]

A great video about the rise and fall of Pompey. This is why I'm so thankful for Tornante and how the clubs been run now, PUP! 🔹️🔷️🔵💙

[benjeffery]

As a pompey fan this was some of the best times of my life supporting supporting them... such a shame all of us knew nothing about what was going on and we were consolidating nicely in the top half back then, but that's how the cookie crumbles... were still much very alive and kicking 🙌

[samwestinvest]

Great recap of our vast troubles. AC Milan at Fratton Park is still the best atmosphere I have ever experienced in any game. Gives me goosebumps every time I think about that magical night. So putting the troubles aside, I'm still grateful I got to experience Pompey in Europe. Wolfsburg away was also very special.

[danielkarmy]

I'm not a Pompey fan (to put it politely) but I think the chairman of the club in the rebuilding period, Iain McInnes, was worth a few minutes for the contribution he and others who were involved made toward that process. McInnes is now chairman at my local club Gosport Borough, effectively next door as far as non-local people are concerned, and he came in with the club in much the same situation as Portsmouth were. Somehow we survived the first season with a group of students, amateurs and Wessex League rejects, and several years later we're doing very well. I know you're meant to wish your rivals ill, and treat them like they're your enemy, but frankly as a Saints fan I just don't feel that way - don't get me wrong, it's not a friendly rivalry, but I take my hat off to all those involved in the revival of their club that means so much to them. They now have a model that all football clubs should imitate.