The Galleon - Portsmouth's Official Student Newspaper

Portsmouth FC is a club in severe crisis – a football team on the brink of fading away into extinction; something that is beyond comprehension to many die-hard football fans. And as the club is faced with a ‘winding up’ order, fans and lovers of the club must also have been left feeling pretty wound up over the last 18 months.

Bankrupt owners, failed takeovers and broken promises have left Portsmouth teetering on the edge of existence, an inconceivable scenario considering they lifted the FA Cup as recently as 2008.

Since that day when they triumphed 1-0 over Cardiff, the state of the club has spiralled – but had the damage already been done? Much akin to the Leeds United of a decade ago, it is clear to see how over-inflated wages and transfer fees, fuelled by unrealistic loans, have crippled the club.

As a result of their FA Cup triumph, in which they progressed thanks to a 1-0 over Manchester United at Old Trafford, Portsmouth were awarded a place in the UEFA Cup. Perhaps even more startling, they faced AC Milan and drew 2-2, a historic night in the football club’s history.

But take a walk down to Fratton Park today and given the state of the club at present it is hard to imagine how such successes even happened. Farce after farce has derailed the club and a worst case scenario would see them being reformed and re-entered into the Football League.

The Premier League is littered with ex-Pompey players, with many from the class of 2008 still playing their trade in the highest division. It is hard to believe how English internationals such as David James, Glen Johnson, Peter Crouch and Jermaine Defoe once graced the Fratton Park turf week after week, playing against some of the biggest clubs in the country, clubs which they have gone on to represent themselves.

One topical figure who inadvertently glamorised the situation is Harry Redknapp. The former manager, along with former chairman Milan Mandarić, were recently acquitted of tax evasion charges during their time at Portsmouth. Having since been thrust into being the people’s favourite for the England job freshly vacated by Fabio Capello, Redknapp left his Portsmouth woes firmly behind him.

All of this magnifies the demise of a club who, after spending seven seasons in the top division, have fallen to being on the brink of collapse.

As the recent home game with Hull was called off due to a frozen pitch, I was left to wonder how many more opportunities there will be for lovers of the club to show their famously raucous support – and how much longer such a famous club will be talked about before they are forgotten and fade into the abyss that they are hurtling rapidly toward.