Conspiracy theory

[eltorrro]

Did KJ 'throw' promotion by fielding a weakened team because:
a) He was told to
b) He knows the current team has no chance of survival in Championship
c) He didn't think Charlton would score as many goals
d) Tactically inept

Another year in Div 1 but without KJ??

[Berkshire Blue]

Or just possibly

e). We were already in the playoffs and he wanted to rest some of our players.

I really don't buy conspiracy theories at all.

[New Forester]

Why would we fear playing anyone first in the play offs? Having said that, I’m pleased we have avoided Charlton for now. With a fair share of luck we can beat them in the final. As to the current team not being good enough for the Championship, it’s obvious it will be strengthened. But only enough to consolidate rather than throwing silly money around to achieve early promotion.

[No Shot Sherlock]

I questioned back in January whether promotion would best suit the owners' long term goals. I've not seen anything since then to convince me it would, and personally I'd still rather see concrete plans for a new ground than promotion this summer.

Whether that means we'd throw it away intentionally is a completely different matter.

[Pompeymack]

Sunderland rested key players yesterday and we did they same, I don’t think KJ saw Charlton scoring 4 goals and overtaking us.

potentially we will now have to play Sunderland and Charlton, I think Donny was an easier game. If I was a Charlton fan I’d be pleased with Donny.

[Sam_Brown]

I’m all for conspiracy theories as long as there is some kind of logic to justify it. I just can’t see how purposefully avoiding going up benefits us long term.

One reason I’m not sure there is some sort of agenda to avoid us going up is that wouldn’t getting promoted to the championship then getting relegated straight away still be beneficial from a finance point of view?

Also (sorry I know I said one reason) what actually is the benefit of staying in league one for another year anal getting promoted next year? Especially as I imagine a few of our key players might be tempted to leave for a championship side which would damage our future chances of going up?

[Pompey Penguin]

I've said that I would prefer Doncaster, but to be honest we do not have a good record against them over recent seasons. I am happy to play Sunderland, whichever way it goes. I think we match up well against them, and they will be good games, although anything can happen over just two games.

As to yesterday, it wasn't just resting a few players, but that the whole team seemed to be playing like it was the last game of the season between two mid-table sides. I wonder if there was a little bit of it definitely being the play-offs, so "take it easy, don't get injured, don't get sent off"; a bit like our last game before the 2008 cup final.

I don't buy the idea that we don't want to get promoted (although I love a good conspiracy theory). The two teams being promoted from L1 are ordinary (but well done to them), and of the teams coming down Ipswich just need to get sorted, who knows what will happen with Bolton and Rotherham are yo-yoing. I think L1 will be tougher next year than this, and another appearance in the play-offs will be a good season. So this year is as good a chance as we can hope for, just three games away. However, I do like L1 (mostly) and wouldn't be too upset about another season at this level where we can win a lot of games, rather than struggling near the bottom of the Championship (just getting my excuse in early!).

I any case, Jackett is going to have a busy summer as there is going to be a lot of player turnover this year.

[Weybridge]

Yeah, just a case of resting a few bodies. Yesterday was game 60 of the season, and the squad isn’t exactly huge.

As for ‘throwing’ a game, the risks are far worse than any potential benefit. Long or possibly permanent bans, fines, civil suits from bookies, possible expulsion, or points docked at a minimum, plus investigation into other results, and terrible PR for a club with some dubious recent management history.

And if you think that’s exaggerating, I give you Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif, and Mohammed Amir. 5-10 year bans and three years imprisonment just bowling a few deliberate no-balls in a Test match - here in England.

[pompeygunner]

Did KJ 'throw' promotion by fielding a weakened team because:
a) He was told to
b) He knows the current team has no chance of survival in Championship
c) He didn't think Charlton would score as many goals
d) Tactically inept

Another year in Div 1 but without KJ??

Mate this is cobblers.

[BlueinPLtwenty]

The trouble is that if you do not live in this country, you judge the situation as being the same in the country in which you live.

[eltorrro]

I might not live in UK and it might be cobblers...but at least it got you lot talking!!! I thought you had all died...the only member that seems to write anything is New Forrester. I get lonely over here and need to get some home news. So, we are all agreed then...not only will we beat Blunderland at theirs and ours, we will also smash Charlton in the final. Happy days and here comes Championship football.

[uspompeyfan]

I might not live in UK and it might be cobblers...but at least it got you lot talking!!! I thought you had all died...the only member that seems to write anything is New Forrester. I get lonely over here and need to get some home news. So, we are all agreed then...not only will we beat Blunderland at theirs and ours, we will also smash Charlton in the final. Happy days and here comes Championship football.

To be fair Eltorro, there are various reasons why the board has suffered in the past year or so..... not the fault of Rubi who has changed the look and features to consistently keep it fresh.


1) A few years ago, a group of posters, many of whom do not participate any longer themselves, took it upon themselves to become the board poster police and anyone who failed to agree with them were bullied off the board (as this used to be a place of great fun). Many who left just stopped posting, while others just cut down their involvement. Political / religeous / cultural intolerance ruled for a while.

2) While largely succesful, this season has been one of mixed blessings for Pompey fans. At Christmas we were well placed, but the owners while happy, were already making overtures about the team being ahead of schedule, compared to the plans. The idea was put out that maybe they didn't want promotion this year and quite a few vehemently called it tosh (or words to that effect). The last three games of the season seem to imply that the team doesn't really care that much, but the windfall would be good...especailly if they fail gloriously but close, at Wembley.

3) We aren't equipped to compete in the championship without money that the owners clearly don't want to spend at this time. Why lose money on being a struggling team, when the city gets behind promotion pushes....next year we'd all be happy to go up.

4) People on the board are getting older and have more important things to deal with than an inconsistent club. We aren't disheartened, just busy with other things. We can't devote time to this board the way we used to.

5) When I joined this message board in 2005/6 season it was to continue the La La League that Norm (Tinky Winky) started on BBC's 606 board. It stayed on a Saints board for three years before finding its home on here, where it has resided since. That's Rich took it over three years ago. In its hey-day there were 40 participants and a Pompey/ Saints rivalry that even goy mentioned on the BBC website when we won 4-1 to send them down. The decline just shows a change in priorities for people.


This is and always will be a uniquely succesful board that has continued lonegr than almost every other, and it has its place moving forwad for all of us. Maybe next season......

[New Forester]

I have been around a bit longer than might appear. A technical problem required me to reregister under a new name. This may be a relatively quiet place but one that stands out from many other forums I have been on. I’ve seen other football forums where most contributions are one liners usually including several words beginning with s,c and f. And that’s about their own teams.
I’m always impressed by the thoughtful insights we get from the regulars here. It’s rare that we see any trolling and we should be thankful for that. As to the point of this thread, There is surely no way that the manager or players haven’t given everything in their push for promotion. In the end, we have just run out of steam and run out of luck. When you follow as many major sports as I do, as well as play them you know at the highest level the winner is often the person or team that gets the lucky break at the crucial moment. Margins between first and second are often tiny. The key point is that the owners have decided to limit investment to what they are prepared to put in. For now. It obviously hasn’t been enough to produce a team good enough to secure automatic promotion. But we can still hope!

[uspompeyfan]

I have been around a bit longer than might appear. A technical problem required me to reregister under a new name.

Dare we ask your original nom de plume?

[The Cincinnati Kid]

I've said it before.....there's only 2 people on this board.

Me and the bloke at Broadmoor with multiple personality disorder. The board got a bit quiet when he resumed medications but most of the time they just get flushed.