A special programme that re-lives Portsmouth FC's promotion back to the Championship featuring interviews with fans, players and journalists.
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00:00 Bonsi's 3-2 victory over Bonsi on 16 April clinched promotion to the Championship and
00:20 secured the League One title. It sparked jubilant celebrations as fans took to the Fram Park
00:25 pitch to celebrate with the players. I'm Joe Williams from the News and we'll be looking
00:30 at Pompey's incredible journey to the Championship, getting the views of fans, players and the
00:34 owner Michael Eisner.
00:37 [Cheering]
00:42 [Chanting]
00:52 [Cheering]
00:58 [Cheering]
01:15 [Music]
01:31 Pompey has been an incredible journey. We've seen the rise, the fall, the fall again and
01:37 now once again the rise and Pompey back in the Championship. There's no other journey
01:43 in football by any other football club in terms of what Pompey achieved on the highs,
01:49 seven years in the Premier League, winning the FA Cup in 2008 and then no one has plummeted
01:55 quicker. Three relegations in four years, two administrations, nefarious owners, to
02:04 the point of where Pompey at one point went 90th in the Football League. It's exhilarating.
02:09 The last time Pompey won promotion was seven years ago and this is a new generation of
02:15 fans. When you see the fans in the pitch, you've got youngsters there who don't remember
02:20 the last time and they're on the Fram Park pitch. You see families, fathers and sons,
02:26 mothers with sons and daughters. Everyone's on that pitch together and it's so exhilarating.
02:32 We're above it watching down and it's just a phenomenal sight. I know some people don't
02:37 like pitch invasions but it was just the explosion of emotion. Wonderful, wonderful sights. You
02:45 think that couldn't happen at some of the other clubs higher up the league. Pompey did
02:49 it that day and it was just memories forever and it's a privilege to witness that and be
02:55 a part of that.
02:56 My name is Geoffyn Jones. We are in the fantastic city of Portsmouth, the number one best city
03:03 in the world, the only island city in Europe and the number one football team. We knew
03:09 it was coming. We knew it was coming. We didn't want to get too carried away with it because
03:19 we know what's happened in the past. When we went away and we ended up with a draw,
03:25 I was so glad of the draw. I felt for the Pompey fans that had travelled up there. I
03:31 just wanted us to win the championship in front of the home fans. On that Tuesday, I
03:38 got a video and I'm just videoing the sound. We were two more and we were just accepting
03:45 the draws. We would go again Saturday and Saturday's when we would win the title.
03:49 I'm there filming with my mates and then there's a corner and shortly it's goal.
03:54 What an experience. My family and my friends were there. I had my son and my football family
04:02 around me as well. We were all jumping for joy. My boy, I've taken him to football since
04:08 he was young but he's never been on the pitch before. He's going, "Dad! Dad!" He literally
04:13 just dragged me down the stairs, ran onto the pitch. Absolutely phenomenal.
04:17 Do you know what? I love that pitch. It's like my holy grail. People say to me, "What
04:32 does Fran Park do?" It's my church brother. It's where I go and worship my team. Being
04:40 on that grass is like being on the altar. It's where the magic happens. It's where you
04:44 connect with everything that's possible. Just being on that pitch, feeling part of that
04:50 crowd, feeling that Fran Park energy, absolutely everything. When you're on that pitch, it's
04:57 another level event. What I believe is we've got this at exactly the right time. We're
05:02 at the right place to go into the Championship. Not only go into the Championship, hold ourselves
05:07 at the Championship, do some more rowing and then we're off and away. In the Championship,
05:13 next season, I just want us to be able to survive. Mid-table will be enough. We've got
05:21 to settle the fans so the fans can remember what it's like to lose again. We're not going
05:25 to win every week this time. We're going to lose. We need to settle the fans, hold the
05:30 expectations, just survive and move on and have a good game.
05:35 I've always been a huge Portsmouth fan. I've grown in the city, born and bred from Portsmouth.
05:47 I think over the years it's been a real interesting experience. My first childhood memories of
05:54 watching Portsmouth play were watching amazing players like Robert Prozanecki, Paul Merson,
05:58 Teddy Shearn, all these amazing players. When we won promotion to the Premier League, it
06:02 was one of the most amazing experiences I've ever experienced. Now seeing the younger generation
06:09 watching their heroes win promotion from League One was really magical to see.
06:12 I've always believed in my heart and my soul that the football club is the heartbeat of
06:17 the city. When Portsmouth Football Club are doing well, everyone in the city is happy.
06:22 I think now that we've won promotion from League One, going up to the Championship,
06:26 we can slowly start to build up again that momentum that we had during my childhood when
06:30 we were in there in the Premier League with the big boys, competing for trophies, winning
06:36 the FA Cup. Things like that were so amazing.
06:39 A couple of friends of mine who are a little bit younger than me, saying it was the best
06:59 day of their lives. I'm like, well, if you think this is the best day of your life, wait
07:03 till you're competing, wait till you're winning trophies. Because when we won the FA Cup in
07:09 2008, it was a magic atmosphere in the entire city.
07:11 To be honest, when I saw the final goal go in and I saw that we had clinched, we won
07:17 the league, all I was praying for is that the fans just stayed in the stands and not
07:23 run on the pitch too early and not to spoil it. Because you could see all the fans getting
07:28 ready to run on the pitch and obviously it's such an emotional sport. It was a huge moment
07:33 of relief because we obviously went a goal behind twice in the game. So to come back
07:38 and win the game with the last couple of minutes, it was a high emotional roller coaster. But
07:42 then as soon as that final whistle went and you just saw the fans go onto the pitch, I
07:47 think that epitomised the community spirit we have in the city.
07:56 Everybody believed in us, especially this season. Everybody did believe. I know for
08:03 the first few weeks, people slowly got their belief and after half-time, everybody was
08:11 going, "No, their year is this year, we're going to be in the championship."
08:14 They deserve it though, don't they?
08:15 They did deserve it all the way through.
08:18 Especially, we've been through a lockdown, we've lost a couple of years. It's nice
08:32 to be seeing them out having fun.
08:34 Yeah, and great to see everybody happy in the city, all was singing the last few days.
08:38 It brings a lift to everything and everybody.
08:41 But when we played, I think it was up at Barnsley. And if we'd have won, we'd have
09:01 gone up on an away game. I think then I was praying for a draw, which we got. Derby won.
09:07 Yes, he told me, he said, "I'm not going to get that game. I wish we'd have promoted
09:12 for that."
09:13 But then I was at the Tuesday game when we got it and invaded the pitch again. Not me,
09:22 I hasten to add. But we got the energy for that. It was phenomenal. A little bit disappointed
09:29 we didn't get our 100 points, but there you go.
09:31 I've only got two videos on my phone. One of the last time we went up, where we weren't
09:36 expected, I think we won 6-1. And then this time, which was unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable.
09:43 I think the crowd went a little bit too early, just before the final whistle, which wasn't
09:47 ideal. But then you're not going to stop them. And why shouldn't they? It's a great achievement.
09:57 Now we've got to push on. Now we've got to start thinking about next season and where
10:00 we go.
10:01 And they already started thinking about it.
10:04 Two weeks before I knew it, they already started thinking about it.
10:07 We kind of felt it, but it wasn't mathematically possible. And then all of a sudden, we were
10:12 there. We were there. And that was amazing.
10:15 What do you think about the challenges of being in the Championship? A whole different
10:22 league.
10:23 A whole different ball game. No pun intended. That's a different league and that's different
10:27 football. And we're going to have to strengthen. We're going to have to spend some money. But
10:32 it would be nice to stay up. We don't want to be back down straight away. And I think
10:36 we can. We've got everything we need. A decent owner. A great coach. A few decent lads as
10:44 well. They deserve a chance. But we will need some depth. That's a different league. But
10:51 I think we can. We can be a Championship side easily. So fingers crossed.
10:58 You're starting to get excited. You've got more support than quite a few teams in the
11:04 Premier League. So when you look at that, we deserve to stay there and we deserve to
11:09 get up and start.
11:10 20,000 most of the time or thereabouts. You can't knock that. And it's always been like
11:15 that. It's always been. Great attendance. Great people. Great crowd. Always behind the
11:21 team.
11:22 Your League One Champions for 2024. Paul Smoke and Steve!
11:46 Stick around for part two. We'll be heading for Southsea Common for the total celebrations.
11:50 See you then.
12:02 [Music]
12:19 Do you know what? Even though the amount of times I've been asked that, I still can't
12:42 put it into words. And being here today with all... We're basically the whole city out
12:46 here to celebrate both teams' successes. It's absolutely surreal. To see how loud and supportive
12:52 and they're just on it cheering both teams is absolutely incredible. And it's something
12:55 I'll never forget.
12:56 Ladies and gentlemen, Michael Reiser!
12:57 Yeah! I can see it! Yeah!
12:58 Did you ever think for a second that you'd be here today and celebrating this?
13:09 Honestly, no. Like I said out there, I've been behind the barrier. I've celebrated.
13:15 And I was getting emotional on stage because it's like when you actually see it all. And
13:19 I generally, and I'll be completely honest when I've said this, I didn't know how much
13:23 the club meant to me because I'd been away for so long and I focused on myself and forging
13:29 a career for Marlon Pack. Even though you've supported a club since the age, since birth
13:35 really, you have no choice. Right? Being born in Portsmouth, you have no choice but support
13:39 in Portsmouth. And that's why we're so unique as a football club. So I forgot how much it
13:43 meant to me. And it's only until when I came back, I kind of remade my debut. And then
13:48 obviously this year, I don't want to be a bore, but it generally hasn't sunk in yet.
13:53 Moments like this help. But it'd be one where you look back and go, "Wow, you've actually
13:58 achieved that. You were born and bred from Portsmouth. You've been a season ticket holder.
14:02 You've played for the club since the age of seven. And you've come back after having a
14:06 decent career in the Championship and you're captain of the club to winning the league."
14:11 Yeah, like I said, I'll have people in that crowd that I'll know, that I'll just cross
14:15 paths with, whether that's playing football or growing up with or going to school with.
14:19 So yeah, it's... Do you know what's more pleasing for me is the fact that it's relatable. It's
14:25 achievable. You know what I mean? Without getting too deep, you can be from Portsmouth,
14:29 you can grow up and have a dream to play for Portsmouth and it's achievable for anyone
14:34 out there. I was born in Buckingham in a council estate. So it just gives hope for everyone
14:39 in Portsmouth, I suppose.
14:40 "Not to maybe win the Championship next year. What's the plan for next year?"
14:44 You know what, I think as a group we just owe ourselves to enjoy this moment. These
14:49 don't come around too often. I'm 33, this is my second promotion. I've played over 600
14:54 games. Some of the lads, it might be the only time they get promoted. So the message to
14:58 the group is enjoy it. Soak it up, embrace it. Live off everything. Milk it, whatever
15:04 you do, because we go through the meal as footballers. There's a lot of down moments.
15:10 Everything we do throughout the week is geared up to Saturday. And when you don't win, it
15:16 can be very detrimental to yourself and your personal health and also your family as well,
15:21 because they always take the brunt of it. So just enjoy this moment.
15:26 Next season is just a fantastic opportunity for us as a football club to really establish
15:31 ourselves with some really, really big teams in the Championship. And I think rightfully
15:37 we deserve to be there. It's obviously for everyone else to do their job, but for us
15:43 to be competitive in the Championship.
15:44 "Just lastly, what does promotion feel like? Has it sunk in yet?"
15:53 I think we've spoke about it. It's probably going to take a little while for that to sink
15:56 in. Best season of my career so far. Let's go one better next season, see what happens.
16:06 "Ladies and gentlemen, Codder Sharknessy!"
16:09 Yeah, it definitely has after the last couple of weeks. It took a couple of days after the
16:16 Barnsley Tuesday night game. It was a really special occasion at home on the weekend to
16:21 lift the trophy. I learned that I really enjoyed yesterday as well, winning the game up at
16:25 Lincoln. It's accommodating today. I think it's a really fitting ending to the season.
16:28 Yeah, she may have to make quite a few changes. I see she's hung over it in some terms and
16:33 in others as well. It's a pretty good performance yesterday.
16:36 Yeah, I thought the lads were exceptional yesterday, considering the circumstances,
16:40 the fact we didn't have to win the game. We made six changes and there were a few players
16:43 that hadn't played in a long time. I thought it was a really, really good game of football
16:46 and we thoroughly deserved to win it. I was thrilled to come away with three points.
16:49 I think it is, and it's been there really, the relationship with the fans has really
16:53 taken off. It's a combination today of all those fans out in the house of Eton,
16:57 kind of standing out there and putting up a trophy.
17:00 It's been amazing. It's been absolutely amazing. The whole season has just been incredible.
17:06 From the first moment I mentioned it up on stage where we got the late equaliser with
17:10 Crystal Rovers and from then on, we never really looked back. We had a tough period
17:14 around Christmas where everybody stuck with us. One of the games that really sticks in
17:18 my mind was losing 4-0 at home to Blackpool because the fans just kept going. They had
17:22 a really interesting song about being 4-0 down, which we absolutely loved. That sort
17:26 of spirit gets us going throughout. You can't achieve anything just as a team or just as
17:30 a set of fans. You've got to do it together.
17:32 Looking back, it was a hard-hitting, standing out game. Were there any other matches around
17:37 the season where you thought, 'We've got this, we're going to do it'?
17:39 I think the Barnsley game away from home, certainly, because we'd had an easy-ish August
17:46 on paper, but we hadn't taken a huge amount of points. September looked extremely tough.
17:50 We went into it with a draw at Derby and then blew Barnsley away 3-0. The other games when
17:55 we beat Peter away, I thought, 'OK, we really have arrived and this is our season. This
18:00 is our chance to actually win the league.'
18:01 Just lastly, any message for the fans about the season?
18:04 Just a huge thank you. A massive thank you. I know what it takes to support a football
18:08 club. It's a costly exercise. It's heart-wrenching exercise. It's not easy being the supporter
18:12 of any football club, let alone Portsmouth. Fair play, well done and I hope you enjoy
18:16 yourselves.
18:17 I can't believe it.
18:19 [FANS CHANTING 'BARNSLEY']
18:21 Louder, come on!
18:23 [FANS CHANTING 'BARNSLEY']
18:33 Congratulations to the football club and to the champions. How does it feel?
18:37 Well, when the sun came out, it only made it better. 125th anniversary of the club.
18:43 Kind of a brand new frat Safari. Winning and moving up both for the women and the men.
18:49 Can't be better than that.
18:51 And it's only got about June last year, I believe, you've got to incorporate the women's
18:55 team into the ownership. To achieve this in the first year for the women's team, how does
19:01 that feel? Was that quicker than expected?
19:03 Well, we've been a supporter of the women's team as long as they've been around. They
19:07 were a major team almost a century ago. But in the last year, we decided that we would
19:15 take them in-house, work with them, work with Jay. And what have they scored? 75 goals?
19:23 Amazing.
19:25 Better than you could have hoped for at the start of the year.
19:29 I've never heard of anybody scoring 75 goals in a season. So yes, amazing.
19:35 Obviously, with the men's team as well, you've been here the whole time of League
19:39 One. There's been some criticism otherwise, but you've always come to firm and kept
19:43 your policies. How does it feel today to be rewarded with this reception and the championship?
19:49 Well, we came in when they went from League Two to League One, that same day actually.
19:57 And we said from the beginning to rebuild Fratton Park, to own a training ground, to
20:05 rebuild the training ground, to bring back to the glory of what Fratton Park was, was
20:12 going to take a while. And it also takes a while to get the right club together, to get
20:19 somebody like Rich Hughes in, to find somebody like Tomasino. All that takes time. And if
20:26 you don't have the patience, you shouldn't be in any business. So I think, frankly, it
20:31 happened, I think, fairly quickly. But some people say it hasn't. I think it happened
20:36 quickly.
20:38 Obviously, it's a big step up. Some massive clubs in the championship. And obviously,
20:42 the wage bill then goes up further. How prepared are you for the championship? And obviously,
20:47 something for a forecast score, it is.
20:50 I think with Rich Hughes and Andrew Cullen, with John as the coach, I think we're very
20:59 well prepared. Rich has been preparing for the championship all year. Even though we
21:06 were at the top of the table, we didn't know we'd be advanced, but we had a suspicion we
21:11 could be. So we are ready. Now, it doesn't mean we're going to be, you know, the top
21:16 four at the end of next season. We could be, but more likely, it's going to take time to
21:22 build the club in a patient, sustainable, and I underline, sustainable way. We don't
21:28 want to move up in an area where we take on debt or we go broke or any of those things.
21:36 So it's not just about who the players are, it's how you run it.
21:42 There's still plenty of time to bask in this and enjoy this. Obviously, the focus will
21:46 be on next year and there will be immense challenges. They're going up to a far higher
21:50 level, a financial basket case. They will need to have a vastly increased wage bill.
21:59 They'll need to recruit well. There will need to be a small overhaul of the playing
22:03 squad as well, because they still have ambitions to do well in the championship, to remain
22:07 in the championship initially. That will start again when the transfer window reopens.
22:13 At this moment, though, it's just a case of appreciating it and enjoying it. But we all
22:18 know with football, things move quickly. Straight away, they celebrate. Next day, fans will
22:24 know who they're signing next season. That's how it works. You can't stand still in football.
22:28 Pompey are currently planning what they'll do in the next window. There'll be players
22:31 released. Some of this team will be released. This team that's won promotion from League
22:37 One won't be here next year. It's a really sad part of football, but it's inevitable.
22:42 It's all part of the evolution, getting better and better. We expect to see that over the
22:47 next weeks, next months, because Pompey have a different challenge next year. Hopefully,
22:52 they can push towards the Premier League again.
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