Top of the League.

[phat_chris]

And so we end, top of the League. Champions!

[BlueinPLtwenty]

Still none of the top seven Teams have been able to beat us. We are Top of The League and Champions!

[GreenBlue]

Fantastic. Well done Pompey.
What a season.
What a team.
What a manager.
What fans.
What a great club and many thanks to the Eisners.

We are the champions.

[BlueinPLtwenty]

Analysis:
Derby: 2 draws
Bolton: Win & a Draw
Peterborough: 2 Wins
Barnsley: 2 Wins
Oxford: Win & a Draw

That`s how you stay Top of the League and become Champions

[Pompey55]

It been interesting how often throughout the season other teams supporters have said we are not one of the best teams in the League lucky and had a referee that favoured us
Maybe I missed something top of the league for all but a few days 3 players in the team of the season a double manager of the month winner and manager of the year
Also a key to our success has been the never say die attitude of the players and fans I believe we have won more games coming from behind than anyone else

[BlueinPLtwenty]

It been interesting how often throughout the season other teams supporters have said we are not one of the best teams in the League lucky and had a referee that favoured us
Maybe I missed something top of the league for all but a few days 3 players in the team of the season a double manager of the month winner and manager of the year
Also a key to our success has been the never say die attitude of the players and fans I believe we have won more games coming from behind than anyone else

Spot on. A question of "Everybody in the Club and the Supporters" were as ONE, together!

[New Forester]

Top of the league with none of the next 4 below us expected to be challenging at the end of the season. My smile, going in to work this morning, was a big one and I thought... what the f**k, there are so many bad things going on in the world today, I should enjoy every opportunity I get to genuinely smile.

Still smiling?

[Blue Walter]

I look at most fans forums of the clubs we play to see what their take is on the games with us. The most often quote is "how are they top of the league" but that is usually followed by saying that their game against us is the best they have played all season. That is usually followed by "play like we did against Pompey and we will be alright". Somewhere in there will be someone pointing out "they are top for a reason". Generally it's because we have been 'lucky' and the Ref was "on their side". People have questioned the number of penalties we have had, which were generally seen as 'dives'. Our players are all 'cheats' and employ the 'dark side'. It was noticeable how many said after losing to us was "yeah, but did you see their bench". Earlier in the season lots of the quotes on how good our team was and "nailed on" to win promotion. Many reckon we will struggle in the Championship.

My own view is that we have not looked like a top of the table in lots of games this season. I do think we have been fortunate in some games, but very unfortunate with injuries. I think Tuesdays game against Barnsley illustrated our season in some ways. Barnsley out played us for much of the game and, in all honesty, probably deserved to win or, at least, get a draw. Dogged determination and the extra quality we have when it matters got us over the line. I do believe that where you are in the table at this stage of the season is where you should be. We are top for a reason which is that over the season we have been the best team. Perhaps other teams have played better football and have got better players but luck doesn't generally win the league.

[Portchesterblue2]

yep we are champions because everyone else was so poor this season

We have managed to become champions despite

No investment or long term plans from the owners
a rookie manager with no idea
recruitment of second rate and past it players - a squad that will not get us promoted - FACT

all in all just a damned lucky season for us




and yes this is tongue in cheek, aimed at both opposition supporters and some of our own

[Blue Walter]

It might be 'tongue in cheek' or not but I think most people are surprised by our success. My view is that I think League One is weaker this season without the likes of Ipswich, Plymouth and Wednesday. That doesn't detract from the brilliant job that Mousinho and the team have done. I was talking to some Derby County supporters who thought that League One was actually stronger this season. While they agreed no team had the ability of Ipswich they considered the league lost clubs that were extremely weak at this level and replaced by stronger clubs coming up.

I would think that no one could have predicted what has happened this season, except for one or two people who might like to suggest that they did. I think we have had our fair share of good fortune this season in games but very unlucky with injuries. John Mousinho is surprised at his own success so I don't think anyone could have predicted just how well he has done. He has overcome the terrible injury problems endured by the club and still managed to keep the team on track. I think that the summer transfer activity by the club was a mixed bag where some of the players that came in were a huge success while others failed to live up to their billing. The January transfer window was a fantastic effort by the club with the players they brought in, only for injury to take it's toll on their impact. It showed the club were willing to invest without being reckless.

I believe the club was 'marking time' until the owners considered the club was ready for elevation. I think the Eisner's are doing exactly what they said they would do and they now think we are ready for the next stage. I wonder if they are surprised themselves that things have changed so quickly. I know some people wanted them to invest more in the playing staff sooner. The fact that they remained pragmatic concerning the transfer activity convinced me that they wasn't quite ready but the investment became bigger and more quality was brought in that wasn't at the expense of outgoing talent to finance it. I always thought that they had ambition but I would have liked to have seen things happen a bit quicker. I don't think many people discounted the owners ambition but some wanted things done quicker. Not withstanding that the plane episode was just plain embarrassing and undeserved.

Anyway, we are there now and a new chapter has started. I would think more investment will be required than before but I am just glad we are out of the 'lower leagues', the so called 'lower echelons of the football pyramid'. I just think I don't think anyone could have predicted what has happened at our football club.

[Portchesterblue2]

It might be 'tongue in cheek' or not but I think most people are surprised by our success. My view is that I think League One is weaker this season without the likes of Ipswich, Plymouth and Wednesday. That doesn't detract from the brilliant job that Mousinho and the team have done. I was talking to some Derby County supporters who thought that League One was actually stronger this season. While they agreed no team had the ability of Ipswich they considered the league lost clubs that were extremely weak at this level and replaced by stronger clubs coming up.

I would think that no one could have predicted what has happened this season, except for one or two people who might like to suggest that they did. I think we have had our fair share of good fortune this season in games but very unlucky with injuries. John Mousinho is surprised at his own success so I don't think anyone could have predicted just how well he has done. He has overcome the terrible injury problems endured by the club and still managed to keep the team on track. I think that the summer transfer activity by the club was a mixed bag where some of the players that came in were a huge success while others failed to live up to their billing. The January transfer window was a fantastic effort by the club with the players they brought in, only for injury to take it's toll on their impact. It showed the club were willing to invest without being reckless.

I believe the club was 'marking time' until the owners considered the club was ready for elevation. I think the Eisner's are doing exactly what they said they would do and they now think we are ready for the next stage. I wonder if they are surprised themselves that things have changed so quickly. I know some people wanted them to invest more in the playing staff sooner. The fact that they remained pragmatic concerning the transfer activity convinced me that they wasn't quite ready but the investment became bigger and more quality was brought in that wasn't at the expense of outgoing talent to finance it. I always thought that they had ambition but I would have liked to have seen things happen a bit quicker. I don't think many people discounted the owners ambition but some wanted things done quicker. Not withstanding that the plane episode was just plain embarrassing and undeserved.

Anyway, we are there now and a new chapter has started. I would think more investment will be required than before but I am just glad we are out of the 'lower leagues', the so called 'lower echelons of the football pyramid'. I just think I don't think anyone could have predicted what has happened at our football club.

Walter, we have been top for the majority of the season, and are 12 points clear, we havent lost to any top 7 team, which include the likes of Derby, Bolton andf Barnsley, who most would consider big clubs from the championship, and YET we are surprised, lucky and the league was weak???

Give the club some f*****g credit, they have played carp at times, including tuesday, yet have foiund a way to win, that win wasnt because barnsley arent very good, its because the team doesnt give up, has good tactics, good team spirit

[Pompey1984+1]

How lucky are we. The league is supposedly weaker, and every other club in the league has seemingly been weaker, as they have failed to take advantage of it.

[phat_chris]

I'd argue we have been unlucky. We have suffered season ending injuries to several key players and have missed other's for large portions of the season. Yet still we have come through as champions. That's all down to the fantastic work done by the club recruiting a brilliant squad of players and the manager instilling in those players the belief that they can overcome anything. Some players have been maligned by certain portions of the fan base, but have proven the doubters wrong, time and again, showing their mental fortitude. Not bad for a team of average L1 players

[NSRailings]

I'd argue we have been unlucky. We have suffered season ending injuries to several key players and have missed other's for large portions of the season. Yet still we have come through as champions. That's all down to the fantastic work done by the club recruiting a brilliant squad of players and the manager instilling in those players the belief that they can overcome anything. Some players have been maligned by certain portions of the fan base, but have proven the doubters wrong, time and again, showing their mental fortitude. Not bad for a team of average L1 players

Indeed. It's all about getting the right people in on and off the pitch. And that can take a long time. Mark Catlin was interviewed on Solent after Tuesdays game and he said that Cullen was the right man to take us further. So everytime I read that the owners didn't want us to go up in previous seasons - it's nonsense. We had to wait to get the right people in who fitted their plan. Mousinho said he doesn't have much to do with the changing room motivation - that's down to Pack and some of the other senior players.

[Pompey1984+1]

I'd argue we have been unlucky. We have suffered season ending injuries to several key players and have missed other's for large portions of the season. Yet still we have come through as champions. That's all down to the fantastic work done by the club recruiting a brilliant squad of players and the manager instilling in those players the belief that they can overcome anything. Some players have been maligned by certain portions of the fan base, but have proven the doubters wrong, time and again, showing their mental fortitude. Not bad for a team of average L1 players

I don't believe we have been unlucky, and I don't believe the league is that much worse this season than last.