[bluepooch]

Licking Gary Robert's arse.How embarrassing .
We've come a long way when teams like Pompey are clamouring for our players .We must be the bigger club.

[spireitematt]

Yeah its been happening for weeks Blue ever since Cookie was announced as manager the Pompey fans kept tweeting our players to go join them and persuade them what a good place and team Pompey is.

[spireitematt]

We've rejected a bid from Pompey for Gary Roberts.

[Devongone]

Pompey fans must be incredibly gullible.

I think it was Portsmouth where they attacked a paediatrician's house because they misunderstood the word.

But you have to feel sorry for them. Condemned to live in Southampton's shadow for the next twenty years.

[St Charles Owl]

Living in Southampton's shadow is one thing, now they also live in Bournemouth's shadow as well!!!

[spireitematt]

They still think they are a big team well technically they are in attendance wise but other than that there just a Division 2 team like Accrington Stanley. If they don't learn from there previous mistakes they could end up going bust.

[Devongone]

Absolutely Matt, that's why I keep forecasting Mr Cook will fail with them. I'd like a bet that he doesn't finish the season.
Bananarama is their future, no longer attractive, a bit embarrassing, only a few dads dancing.

[spireitematt]

Absolutely Matt, that's why I keep forecasting Mr Cook will fail with them. I'd like a bet that he doesn't finish the season.
Bananarama is their future, no longer attractive, a bit embarrassing, only a few dads dancing.

Look at Sheridan he did ok with Plymouth but he's now left due to family reasons and is moving back up North and is one of the contenders for the Leeds job. I think Cook will struggle with Portsmouth and I expect a lot more skeletons in the closet to come out at that club. The Portsmouth fans talk like they have some god given right to get any player they want and to get promotion up the leagues. Like Charles says Portsmouth are living in Southampton's and Bournemouth's shadow and I expect that to happen for a few years.

[Devongone]

The trouble for Portsmouth is they might grab some players. They may even get some of ours. But how sound is their structure and how ready are they to wait if immediate success doesn't come their way? Will they start spending money they can't afford? Will they make their new manager's life unbearable? Do they realise they have several opponents who also think they should go up - Plymouth, Luton, Notts County and Orient spring to mind. Bristol Rovers could be reinvigorated, Wycombe had a practice run last time ....... and that's without considering those clubs with a three thousand average gate keen to do a Burton ......... As Orient proved last season, having a lot of players from a higher level of football and a potential to finance even more not only doesn't guarantee success, but also can bring relegation.

[spireitematt]

They may get one or two of our players but I think Portsmouth are going to start panic buying. You could have the best players in the football league playing for Portsmouth but it doesn't mean that you should get promotion, the reason why it worked for us last season to get out of L2 was because we had the right structure the right balance in the squad between defence and attack and also anyone in the team could score goals and we didn't have to rely on the likes of Richards or Doyle as goals came from the midfield and even from players like Cooper. Also the team from L2 and this seasons squad the players gelled together and morale was high between the players and that's why we played good, attractive attacking football because the players could read each other. If the players they recruit at Portsmouth don't get on with one another then it will knock morale and confidence.

I actually think sooner or later Portsmouth will start spending money they haven't got again and this time it won't end pretty. Most football teams around the country in any division are in debt and to get that debt down the teams have to spend within their means. Portsmouth will have a big turnover due to there attendances they get but the money from that will only get you so far. I think Cook will find it difficult to take players from non-league teams on the South coast as his knowledge might not be the same like it was up here in the East midlands and the North West. Like you say Plymouth, Wycombe, Luton, Notts County and Bristol Rovers will be up there come the end of next season. Teams which get promoted into the football league tend to get promotion in there first season. The thing is asking Paul Cook to get Portsmouth promoted out of L2 is like asking a magician to repeat the same trick again the first time you might be able to do it 100% spot on the second time maybe not so much.