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Posted by Mark Lomas on 10/06/2009

Let me try and paint a picture for you. It is Saturday, May 17 2008 and Portsmouth have just won the FA Cup on the club’s 110th birthday. Sol Campbell, Niko Kranjčar, Lassana Diarra, Sulley Muntari, David James - they all played in the final. Nwankwo Kanu prodded home a 37th minute winner to seal the club’s first major cup triumph for 69 years with a 1-0 victory over Cardiff. Harry Redknapp lifts the cup aloft as then-executive chairman Peter Storrie and owner Alexandre Gaydamak grin from ear-to-ear. It is the start of something special at Portsmouth.

Ben Smith: Portsmouth correspondent

Fast forward 513 days and Pompey sit rock-bottom of the table, holding the unwelcome record of worst start in Premier League history after seven straight defeats. The lofty dreams of Wembley 18 months ago are in tatters. Hopes of regular European action, played out in a brand new 40,000-seater stadium have evaporated.

Sulaiman al-Fahim took over the club in the summer with promises of grandeur; this was an investor to steady the ship of a club leaking players left, right and centre. But it was empty promise after empty promise from the man who handed Pompey fans another reason to buy the Guinness book of records, when on Monday, he became the shortest-serving club owner in Premier League history, at 42 days.

News of Al-Fahim’s departure came two days after a liberating first victory of the season at Wolves, and has given Pompey fans cause to believe there could be a new dawn at Fratton Park.

Last week, Phil Brown and his Hull squad experienced an epiphany when, on a walk around the city, they convinced a woman not to end it all by jumping off a bridge. This week, chief executive Peter Storrie has conducted a rescue operation of his own, and handed Pompey a lifeline, a chance for salvation.

Little is known about millionaire Saudi Arabian Ali al-Faraj, but after the job that “Dr” Al-Fahim has managed, the Pompey fans would have been equally happy had Paul Merson thrown his hat in the ring to run the club.

What is known about Al-Faraj is that Storrie originally wanted to sell to him when Gaydamak decided to offload the club, but the Russian went against him and chose the ill-fated Al-Fahim. With Storrie’s continued involvement in Portsmouth, you feel there remains a glimmer of hope for a club that has sold no fewer than 21 players from the successful 2007-08 squad.

The win at Molineux and the Al Faraj takeover could well have a galvanising affect on the club. This time last year, it was Juande Ramos’ Tottenham Hotspur who were languishing at the foot of the Premier League, with a mere two points from their first eight games.

Pompey have three, so that’s something to smile about. But Spurs were able to call on Harry “Houdini” Redknapp to conjure their way into a top-ten finish, and no matter how the rumours fly around Fratton Park, the only return Harry will be making to Pompey is when he takes his impressive Spurs side there in two weeks time.

Current manager Paul Hart has struggled through with limited resources and now, even with financial backing, will find it difficult to attract players with enough Premier League calibre to help the club survive. Hart’s side oozes mediocrity, mainly because he was rushed to assemble a squad which would at least give Pompey the chance to compete. But his players appear to want to play for him, which is often half the battle in a Premier League where dressing-room rifts are commonplace and this could be the difference between survival and failure for Portsmouth.

It is difficult to predict how things will develop at Pompey, but they have provided a clear example of how foreign ownership of Premier League clubs isn’t all smiling sheikhs, oligarchs and galacticos.

Comments

Posted by Paul Scanling on 10/06/2009

I feel like we can all breathe a sigh of relief now and worry about important things like getting another 35 points or so to avoid going down. This club plays hard for Paul Hart and will continue to do so. With a new owner should come a sense of optimism.

Posted by Malath Arar on 10/06/2009

Pompey really escaped this time. But at what expense? I am a bit suspecious of Middle Eastern ownership especially when they are competing among themselves after the acquisition of Manchester City. Hopefully oil prices stay up there for a while to make an impact not only at Pompey but also everywhere else.

Posted by Shawn on 10/07/2009

Pompey will survive from the relegation battle. But the main question is who will join them? January transfer will be open in 3 months time, they need to think quickly which quality players they can sign. However, I'm quite skeptical on the funds given by Al-Faraj, maybe I'm wrong but I was wondering where did all the money go after selling 6-7 players. That money must have been worth about £50 million?!

Posted by Pompey on 10/07/2009

Nice article. If they ever make a movie of Pompey's turbulent history, which WEEK would they focus on. Unbelievable! Still two heroes have emerged: Peter Storrie and Paul Hart. Both have shown courgae, conviction and resilience. Just a shame that the previous prima donnas - Defoe, Crouch et all (not forgetting Redknapp) couldn't show the same loyalty and character.

Posted by john deacon on 10/07/2009

It's been said before, we must have had the only "oil-rich" tycoon in the world without any money. I believe though, that he had the best intentions and it sounds like he saved us from the wolves in the short term anyway. However, we can't expect the new owners to come in throwing money around willy nilly. If there is to be an early cash injection then maybe every player and staff involved at the club should be offered a hefty incentive, say 10%, to keep us up at the end of the season. From a business point of view it wouldn't be paid until next May and could be money well spent. If we're relegated it doesn't get paid anyway.
JD 50 years supporter.

Posted by Dnasty on 10/07/2009

Brilliant article.
Pompey, before we start bashing players, let's remember that Paul Hart HAD to sell the bulk of his players just to keep the ship afloat. A team can't sit on the brink of administration and keep its most expensive players. Defoe never wanted to leave Tottenham, so there was nothing in any sort of loyalty to Pompey. And Crouchy was with Tottenham as a lad, so again, the loyalty claim misses the mark. But that's all besides the point. The players were all forced to leave, and apart from Diarra and Muntari, all at cut-rate prices.

Posted by Goopy on 10/07/2009

I agree with SHAWN -

Where did all the money go?

Pompey sold 21 players, as the article suggests.

Did it go to the stadium? Was it never solvent? Poor merchandising deals?

The account books should be opened to the fans. They were winning on paper and sold a number of lucrative players. How could this happen??

Posted by J WESTBROOK on 10/07/2009

Theres more truth in the article than many I've read.
But some of the comments above are way off the mark
1 Hart did not sell players. A team manager does not have the power to buy or sell. He can advise, request or beg thats all. The owner together with the managing director are the only one that can do that.

2 None of the players wanted to leave they were sold for two reasons. Pompey could not afford to pay them, the banks were breathing down the clubs necks demanding repayment of outstanding loans.

3 Redknap was an employee just as most of us are. We would move jobs if a better deal was available especaly if we knew our first employer couldnt pay us. Redknap was an employee not a Fan

4. If I was in financial trouble as a buisness man and some of my customers who had no money in the company demanded to see my accounts I would rightly tell them to get lost.

To those fans disatisfied with PFC are free to GO find another club Southampton are not far way

Posted by WeArePompey! on 10/08/2009

What a wonderful taste - salvation at long last!

It will be an absolute pleasure to watch the resurrection of such a proud and successful club after a shambolic administration took the reins.

I am excited at what players Avram and Paul plan to lure to Fratton Park, but most of all I am longing for some magic on the pitch to match the amazing heart and determination of the current playing list.

Go Pompey!

Posted by Arsenal fan on 10/08/2009

Hoping for the best for Pompey.
A club with a history to be proud of.
Lets help 'em survive this phase. Not another 'Newcastle' I hope..
Lets do what's best for English football.

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