The Pompey Chimes

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Richie Barker is the man Pompey picked to become their new boss.
The Blues' seven-man board voted for the ex-Crawley manager to replace Guy Whittingham.
Barker will be joined by Steve Coppell in a director of football role, although it is believed Coppell will not be paid a wage.
Pompey are now finalising Barker's contract details and other aspects with a view to officially unveiling him on Monday December 9, 2013.
It will end an 11-day search for a successor to Whittingham during which a seven-name shortlist was assembled containing the likes of Oxford's Chris Wilder, Exeter's Paul Tisdale and Steve Claridge.
The final two - David Connolly and Andy Awford - were interviewed yesterday before directors were canvassed over their preference for the next manager.
Chief executive Mark Catlin, who previously helped appoint Barker at Bury, did not have a vote in the process as he is not on the Blues board.
Instead Iain McInnes, Ashley Brown, Mick Williams, Mark Trapani, Mike Dyer, Chris Moth and John Kirk came to the decision to put Barker into the Fratton Park hot seat.

Guy Whittingham was caretaker manager of Football League One side Portsmouth from November 2012 to April 2013. He became permanent full-time Portsmouth manager on 24 April 2013.

Whittingham paid the price after four successive defeats saw the Blues knocked out of two cup competitions and slip to 18th in the League 2 table. Former fan favourite Whittingham took over at Fratton Park last November but managed only 11 wins in 51 games.
A statement on the club's official website said: 'Portsmouth Community Football Club regret to announce that, following a meeting with the chairman, CEO and finance director, Guy Whittingham has today left his post as manager after his contract was terminated
'The club wishes to place on record its sincere gratitude to Guy for his service to the club during difficult times.'
Whittingham took over as caretaker manager at Fratton Park in November 2012 following Michael Appleton's departure to Blackpool before being appointed the club's permanent manager in April of this year. The 49-year-old scored 99 goals in 173 appearances during his playing days with the south coast club, including a record of 42 goals in the 1992/93 season as Pompey missed out on automatic promotion to the Premier League on goals scored.
In the meantime, academy boss Andy Awford takes caretaker charge for Tuesday's home clash with Southend on November 26, 2013 and will be assisted by first-team coach Alan McLoughlin and striker David Connolly.

Guy Whittingham has been given the Caretaker Manager job with Pompey together with Andy Awford as his assistant following the departure of first team manager Michael Appleton, who has bagged a job with Championship side Blackpool.

The pair of them sit alongside each other in Pompey’s Hall of Fame.  Now Guy Whittingham and Andy Awford are serving together as the Blues’ managerial team. The duo will take charge of Pompey at Bury on Saturday.  Awford was asked to step up from his job as Academy manager to assist stand-in boss Whittingham in first-team duties.

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Michael Appleton was announced as the new Portsmouth manager on 10 November 2011  (view profile here).

Appleton's year at Fratton Park

Played: 51 Won: 13 Drawn: 11 Lost: 27

    November: Appointed Portsmouth manager.
    December: Chairman Vladimir Antonov resigns from the club. Owners Convers Sports Initiatives enter administration.
    January: The Pompey Supporters' Trust launch a bid to buy the stricken club.
    February: Portsmouth enter administration and are docked 10 points. Thirty staff including chief executive David Lampitt are made redundant.
    March: Appleton vows to "fight on until the end" as the club look close to being liquidated.
    April: Administrators of the club reveal debts of £58m and make several more staff redundant. Pompey are later relegated from Championship.
    May: Former Portsmouth owner Balram Chainrai makes an offer to buy the club.
    June: The PST open talks with administrators of the club as Appleton starts fire-sale of all senior players.
    July: Appleton takes a youth team and unsigned players on pre-season tour of Gibraltar. Football League announce a further 10-point deduction
    August: Liam Lawrence becomes the last senior player to leave Pompey.
    September: Pompey earn their first League win in League One.
    October: The PST are named 'preferred bidders' of the club. Appleton is linked to jobs at Burnley and Bolton.
    November: Leaves Portsmouth for Blackpool shortly before his one-year anniversary after Pompey lose their 4th game on the trot..(report here)

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On 14 October, Steve Cotterill agreed a compensation package to be  allowed to take the vacant Nottingham Forest manager's position^.

Later that day, it was announced that first team coaches Stuart Gray and Guy Whittingham would take over management duties, Cotterill's departure allowed several omitted players a return to the first team, such as Dave Kitson and Ricardo Rocha in a 2–0 home win against Barnsley.

Michael Appleton was announced as the new Portsmouth manager on 10 November 2011

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Steve Cotterill was appointed as manager of Portsmouth on 18 June 2010, with the club enduring ongoing financial difficulties. Cotterill played a key role in stabilising Portsmouth through some turbulent times which saw the club nearly go bust.

Cotterill had performed a highly creditable job whilst working within complete uncertainty almost every day. This drew many suitors during the close season. Cotterill was granted permission to speak with Nottingham Forest on 14 October 2011 after compensation was agreed with Portsmouth.

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On 7 October 2009, Avram Grant returned to Portsmouth as their new Director of football following the purchase of the club by Ali al-Faraj. On 26 November 2009, following the release of Paul Hart, Grant was confirmed as the new manager of the club. Grant oversaw a run to the FA Cup final which saw them narrowly beaten by his old club Chelsea at Wembley Stadium.

On 20 May 2010, Grant resigned as the manager of Portsmouth. He announced his decision to leave in an open letter to fans on the club's website, stating that "it was the hardest decision I have ever had to make". He went on to say that Portsmouth's fans had brought tears to his eyes with their loyalty, devotion and passion for the club.

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On 19 March 2007, Paul Hart was appointed Director of Youth Operations at Portsmouth. He was asked to take over as caretaker manager, initially for one game only following the sacking of Tony Adams on 9 February 2009. Shortly afterwards, Hart brought Brian Kidd in as his assistant. He won his first game in charge 2–0 at home to Manchester City on 14 February 2009. Hart continued as caretaker manager until the end of the 2008–09 season and was subsequently appointed as permanent manager on a two-year contract on 21 July 2009.

On 24 November, with only two Premier League wins in 13 games and three points adrift at the bottom of the table, Hart was sacked. He declined the offer of an alternative role as technical director responsible for players aged 18–21, and left the club.

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On 25 October 2008, Redknapp left Portsmouth for a second time, leaving his assistant Tony Adams to be promoted to the managerial role. On 27 November, Portsmouth managed a historic 2–2 draw with Italian giants A.C. Milan, going 2–0 up through goals from Younes Kaboul and Peter Crouch, but conceding two goals later in the game. However, performances were not consistently good, and the FA Cup holders bowed out of the 2009 competition at the fourth round stage with a 2–0 home defeat at the hands of Championship side Swansea City. Adams was dismissed in February 2009.Youth team coach Paul Hart took over as manager until the end of the season, with Brian Kidd assisting him

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Redknapp returned to Portsmouth on 7 December 2005 with the club threatened by relegation to the Championship, although not in the relegation zone. At first it looked like Redknapp would be heading for a second successive relegation, but a fine run of form at the end of the season, aided by the takeover of Portsmouth by Alexandre Gaydamak (which provided Redknapp with more money), ensured Portsmouth's survival.

In the following season, Redknapp led Portsmouth to a ninth placed finish which was the club's highest league finish since the 1950s. In October 2007, Redknapp signed a new contract at Portsmouth lasting until 2011.

On 8 March, he led Portsmouth to an FA Cup quarter final victory over Manchester United, completing a hat-trick of FA Cup wins over Manchester United, and followed this with a semi-final victory over West Bromwich Albion at Wembley Stadium on 5 April. He guided the club to their first FA Cup Final in 69 years, where they beat Cardiff City, on 17 May 2008, to win The FA Cup 1–0, thanks to a goal scored by Nwankwo Kanu.

Redknapp returned to Portsmouth to receive the Freedom of the City in a ceremony on 28 October 2008. As this event took place two days after his departure for Tottenham, he received a mixed reception from the Portsmouth fans, despite having led the club to a long-awaited trophy in the 2008 FA Cup.

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In 2004, after a recommendation, Jordan was brought into the coaching team at Portsmouth by manager Harry Redknapp to work alongside him and his assistant manager, Kevin Bond. Under Redknapp, Jordan went on to win the 2008 FA Cup Final with Portsmouth. They beat Cardiff city 1-0 at Wembley Stadium on 17 May.

Jordan continued to coach the team under the management of Velimir Zajec and Alain Perrin. He took over as caretaker manager for two games in November 2005 after Perrin's departure, before Redknapp returned after resigning from Southampton.

On 7 November 2008 Jordan left Portsmouth to join Redknapp at Tottenham Hotspur as first team coach, reforming the original Portsmouth back room team after Redknapp had also brought the recently sacked Bournemouth manager Kevin Bond as Tottenham assistant manager. Portsmouth praised Jordan's “significant contribution” on his departure after four years at the club.

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In April 2005, Alain Perrin was appointed manager of Portsmouth, replacing caretaker Velimir Zajec, who had been in charge, since previous manager Harry Redknapp left in November 2004. Immediately, he was nicknamed 'Reggie' by the British press, and the Pompey fans, after the character Reginald Perrin from "The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin". He succeeded in keeping the club in the top flight, and will be fondly remembered for the 4-1 mauling of local rivals Southampton, a result that effectively consigned them to relegation. However, just 8 months into the job, and after achieving only four wins from 20 games, Perrin was sacked.

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In 2004, Velimir Zajec moved to English club Portsmouth to take up a position as executive director.

He took over as temporary team manager following the resignation of Harry Redknapp in November 2004 and was confirmed as the new manager on 21 December 2004.

Five months later, he reverted to his intended director's role, following the arrival of Alain Perrin. He resigned from his position at Fratton Park on 10 October 2005 due to personal reasons

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Redknapp became Director of Football at Portsmouth in summer 2001.

When the Leicester City manager's job became vacant with the dismissal of Peter Taylor that autumn, Redknapp was widely tipped to take over at the East Midlands club, but stayed loyal to Pompey and the Leicester job went to Dave Bassett. Ironically, it was reported in the national media that had Redknapp taken over, Bassett would have been on his coaching staff at the East Midlands club.

However, after the club's poor form he replaced manager Graham Rix in March 2002. Redknapp managed the club to the Division One title in the 2002–03 season, gaining promotion to the Premier League, replacing his former club West Ham.

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Graham Rix managed Portsmouth between 2001 and 2002, where his enthusiastic style of management started well, but tapered off in the middle of the 2001/02 season.

A string of poor results, including a 4-1 home loss in the F.A Cup to bottom of the Football League Leyton Orient, meant that Director of Football Harry Redknapp was given more responsibilities until eventually, Redknapp replaced Rix as team manager toward the end of the season.

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In 1998 Steve Claridge joined his hometown club Portsmouth on loan and, following a brief period at Wolverhampton Wanderers, signed for Portsmouth on a permanent basis. From 2000 this was as a player-manager, though Claridge's reign lasted for just twenty-five games before he was demoted. After a period on loan with Millwall, he moved to the London club on a free transfer in 2001. 

Steve Claridge was voted to the Portsmouth Football Club Hall of Fame in February 2012

Portsmouth Playing record    

1998-1999     Played      39        Scored      9   goals      (Division 1)
1999-2000     Played      34        Scored     14  goals      (Division 1)
2000-2001     Played      31        Scored     11  goals      (Division 1)

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In January 2000, Tony Pulis left Bristol City to become manager of Portsmouth.

Pulis took Portsmouth from the bottom three to mid-table but lasted only 10 months in the job before being sacked and being replaced by Steve Claridge in October 2000

The club only survived on the last day of the 2000–01 season when they won their final game and Huddersfield Town lost theirs, keeping Portsmouth up at their expense.

Managerial Record

   From                      To                       Games  W      D      L    Win %

13 January 2000  12 October 2000     35     11     10     14    31.43

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Former Arsenal defender Bob McNab was part of a consortium led by Milan Mandaric that took over Portsmouth in 1999, and briefly came out of retirement and took over as caretaker manager of the side after the sacking of Alan Ball in December 1999, until the appointment of Tony Pulis the following month.

Bob McNab, together with Kevin Bond took charge of the impending FA Cup Tie against premier league Sunderland.

Ball's departure had been sad but not unexpected given the run the side had endured.

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In January 1998, Ball was contacted by Brian Howe, who informed him he was to make a takeover bid for the club and that he would like Ball to manage the club. This led to Ball returning to Portsmouth as manager in February 1998, however the take-over never came about. When he was appointed Pompey were several points adrift at the bottom of the table and enduring a near-fatal financial crisis, going into administration for over a year^. In 1998 he masterminded a miraculous escape that saw two of his former sides (Stoke City and Manchester City) relegated after Pompey won 3–1 at Bradford City on the final day of the season. He also kept them up in the 1998–9 season, but his contract was terminated on 9 December 1999 with the club in the lower half of Division One. His departure came 6 months after the club was rescued from financial oblivion by new owner Milan Mandaric. On his retirement, 54-year-old Ball was the last remaining England World Cup winner in management.

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Keith Waldon, a physiotherapist and sports coach, was assistant manager of Portsmouth F.C. under Terry Fenwick. He took charge of Portsmouth F.C as caretaker manager. in January 1998 after Fenwick's dismissal.

In his time as caretaker, Waldon lost of all three his matches. At the end of January, Alan Ball was appointed as manager and Keith Waldon has not been in football management since.  

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Following in the footsteps of many former players, Fenwick decided to try a managerial career. In 1995 he replaced Jim Smith as manager for Portsmouth.

After an underwhelming first full season in charge, where the club only avoided relegation on goal difference, an improved second season saw the club miss out on a play-off spot by just one place, and they also eliminated then-Premier League Leeds United from the FA Cup.

A dire third season cost Fenwick his job however, and he left with the Club bottom of the Division One table.

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Jim Smith accepted the appointment as manager of Portsmouth in the summer of 1991. He had a fairly successful reign at Fratton Park for four years, including reaching the FA Cup semi-finals in 1992, where they took Liverpool to a replay before losing on penalties after extra time. A year later, a successful season in the league meant that they missed out on automatic promotion to the Premier League only on goal difference and then losing in the playoffs. Key players including Darren Anderton and Guy Whittingham were sold, and there was no money for adequate replacements. Smith was finally sacked in January 1995 after a decline in form left them struggling at the wrong end of Division One

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Frank Burrows returns

Frank's first spell as Manager for Pompey was May 1979 – May 1982

In 1989 he returned to Portsmouth as assistant manager to John Gregory, before being appointed manager in 1990. However, he left the following year after some poor performances.

He later managed Swansea City and Cardiff City and was manager of the Cardiff side which won promotion to Division Two in 1999.

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Chairman Jim Gregory, never a man with a reputation for patience, had dispensed with the services of Alan Ball as manager after a 2-1 defeat at Leicester in mid-January made it just one win in 8 games.
Namesake John Gregory, who had played for Q.P.R., but who was untried as a manager came in. ironically on the 1st January 1990, two weeks short of the anniversary of Ball's sacking, Gregory was shown the door also after another defeat against Leicester in which the visitors had come from two goals behind to win 3-2.
John Gregory had tried to instill discipline into the Pompey camp, but his record of 9 wins in 12 months had been miserable and he left the club as he found them, floundering in the bottom half of the league. His dismissal led to the return of a familiar and popular face. Frank Burrows , who had taken Pompey from the fourth division on the first leg of their revival a decade earlier, had returned to the club as a coach and he was now caretaker in charge.

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Bobby Campbell succeeded Frank Burrows and repeated Burrows' achievements by earning promotion - and this time the Division Three title - in his first season.

The following season saw the club struggle to maintain any consistency in the league, and also saw the indignity of an FA Cup exit to rivals Southampton. While the club were never in serious danger of relegation, it was all enough to cost Bobby Campbell his job.

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Ambitious as a manager, Frank Burrows left Swindon to be appointed Assistant Manager to Jimmy Dickinson at Portsmouth. When Dickinson resigned in 1979 Burrows replaced him.

The club's fortunes began to turn around with the appointment of Frank Burrows as manager in 1979, and in his first season in charge Pompey won promotion back to the Third Division in May 1980. Pompey nearly won a second successive promotion the next year, but a mediocre finish in the 1981-82 season saw Burrows resign and take a coaching job at Sunderland instead.

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Jimmy Dickinson holds the record for number of league appearances for Portsmouth (764). Only Swindon Town's John Trollope (770) has made more appearances for a single club.

He signed for Portsmouth as a trainee and made his debut in 1946 against Blackburn Rovers Settling into the side quickly at either wing-half or left-half, he was part of the team that won successive league championships in 1948–49 and 1949–50. His performances earned him a call-up to the England national football team. He went on to win 48 caps for England, making him Portsmouth's most capped English player of all time. During his record 845 club appearances for Pompey and his 48 England caps he was never once booked or sent off, earning him the nickname Gentleman Jim.

Awarded the MBE in 1964, he played his last match for Pompey a year later, helping Pompey to a 1–1 end-of-season draw at Northampton Town that secured safety from relegation. And when he retired from playing, his association with the club continued. He served Pompey as public relations officer and then secretary before accepting the position of manager in May 1977. Relegation from the Third Division was avoided, but the next year Pompey dropped down a league.

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John Mortimore left to eventually be replaced by former Liverpool legend Ian St John. The man famous from his playing days promised to inject some firepower in the club, yet by now the team was heavily dependent on youth and bargain free transfers.

Pompey were relegated in bottom place and John Deacon's prophesy of taking the club out of the second division had come true, but in a way he had never imagined.

At around this time, as if things could get any more depressing, SOS Pompey was in full flow with an action group in place faced with the task of raising around £100,000 as John Deacon revealed the true extent of the club's debt.

Relegation from the second division, where the club had been permanent residents for 15 years, may have seemed like the end of the world, but it wasn't. It was in fact just the start. Pompey proceeded to go straight through to the basement division, an unthinkable prospect for a team and club that had been feared throughout the country just two decades previously.

It was through no real fault of Ian St John who had been hamstrung, but he was replaced by one man who just might turn around the club's fortunes; one Jimmy Dickinson who had served the club with such dignity over a record number of games and who, since retirement, had performed the roles of Club Secretary and Public Relations Officer at the club he loved with all his heart.

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Ron Tindall was made caretaker manager of Portsmouth for two games in 1974 following John Mortimore's departure. 

Ron Tindall had moved to Portsmouth from Reading in 1964. Tindall played out the remainder of his career at Portsmouth, making 162 league appearances before retiring in 1969. 

At the end of the 1969/70 Season, George Smith was moved upstairs to become General Manager and Ron Tindall was appointed manager of Portsmouth. But he was hampered by the club's financial problems and had left the job by 1973.

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In May 1973 John Deacon took full control after joining the Board several months earlier. He promised that he would get the club out of the second division within three years.

Big money signings in Peter Marinello (Arsenal), Ron Davies (Southampton), Phil Roberts (Bristol Rovers), Paul Went (Fulham) and Malcolm Manley (Leicester), had given fans hope that the glory days were to return. Marinello, captured for a cool £100,000, in particular had been dubbed 'the new George Best', and his signing captured the imagination of everyone, including the national press.

However, rather than things getting better, they were to get worse. John Mortimore had taken over as manager, but his big name players flattered to deceive and losses of £167,000 were revealed. 

The following season was even more dismal with bigger losses on and off the field. John Mortimore left to eventually be replaced by former Liverpool legend Ian St John.

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Ron Tindall moved to Portsmouth from Reading in 1964. Tindall played out the remainder of his career at Portsmouth, making 162 league appearances before retiring in 1969.  At the end of the 1969/70 Season, George Smith was moved upstairs to become General Manager and Ron Tindall was appointed manager of Portsmouth. But he was hampered by the club's financial problems and had left the job by 1973. Pompey remained in the second division during his tenure.

He was later made caretaker manager of Portsmouth for two games in 1974 following John Mortimore's departure.

Playing Career

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The appointment of George Smith in April 1961 came too late to save Pompey from relegation and a return to Division Three after 37 years.

The outspoken, often controversial, Smith was one of the best coaches in the country and was known for his strict discipline and  'commando-style'  form of training. Smith stabilised the club and with some inspired signings, wingers Tony Barton and Dave Dodson in particular, gained promotion at  the first attempt under the captaincy of the seemingly ageless Jimmy Dickinson.

Smith was intent on revolutionising the way the club was organised and disbanded the reserve and youth teams, leaving a first team squad of just 16 players. Savings of £20,000 annually were projected as Smith explained that, "there was nothing but fish in the sea around Portsmouth". 

Despite limited financial means, Smith maintained Portsmouth's second division status throughout the sixties until moving upstairs to become General Manager in April 1970. But three years later he lost his job when Pompey's new chairman, John Deacon, reconstructed the club's management.

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Bill Thompson took over the club as Caretaker Manager in February 1961 after the sacking of Freddie Cox.

Cox's era was to be one of controversy and acrimony and positively disastrous. His first season 1958/59 was calamitous, with relegation following a miserable 20 defeats in the last 24 matches, and only 21 points secured for the whole season.

The fall into Division Two brought no respite and in the second season in the lower league Cox was dismissed in February 1961.

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Cox's era was to be one of controversy and acrimony and positively disastrous.

His first season 1958/59 was calamitous, with relegation from the top flight (Division 1) following a miserable 20 defeats in the last 24 matches, and only 21 points secured for the whole season.

The fall into Division Two brought no respite and in the second season in the lower league Cox was dismissed in February 1961.

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Manager from May 1927 to May 1947

Jack Tinn's early career was as a senior clerk at South Shields County Court, and manager at South Shields from 1919. He was forced to sell their better players so that the club could survive and when he left the north-east to manage Pompey in 1927, the club went into decline.

Pompey had just been promoted to the First Division when Tinn took control. They just managed to avoid relegation in his first two seasons at Fratton Park but in 1929, Tinn took Pompey to Wembley. They lost 2 - 0 to favourites Bolton Wanderers after holding out for most of the match. He brought into the club legendary players such as Sep Rutherford, John Weddle, Jimmy Nichol, Jack Smith, Freddie Worrall, James Scot Symon and Lew Morgan. He also paid a then club record fee of £6,000 for Irish international Jimmy McAlinden in December 1938.

They went back to Wembley again in 1934 but lost 2 - 1 to Manchester City after Sep Rutherford had given Pompey the lead. Tinn finally took Pompey to a winning Cup Final as favourites Wolves were soundly beaten 4 - 1. Links to the 1939 FA Cup FInal here

Tinn was also famous for wearing his lucky spats, which were religiously put on by the same player before every match.

Although he managed to keep Pompey in the First Division, they usually struggled near the foot of the table. It was around this time that Tinn came in for some heavy criticism but this was a little unfair as he had brought much success to Fratton Park, especially in the FA Cup. He resigned in May 1947.

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Richard Bonney became a director at Pompey in 1900 but relinquished his position on the Board to take up the managerial position in 1904 after the departure of Bob Blyth. By trade he was a master tailor and was a member of the old 15th Company Royal Artillery and 'Sergeant' Bonney was was the secretary for the Royal Artillery Football Club that had preceded Pompey.

He worked hard to strengthen his playing staff, signing goalkeeper Fred Cook from West Brom and John 'Sailor' Hunter from Liverpool, but the season ended disappointingly for Pompey.

He spent another busy close season and signed Irish international Harry Buckle and Southampton defender Jack Warner.

The highlight of Bonney's time at the helm came during the 1906/07 season, which saw the visit of Manchester United F.C. in the English Cup and a new record gate of 24,329 was set at Fratton Park. A 2-2 draw meant a replay at Old Trafford and a 2-1 giant killing by Portsmouth.

Bonney's record as manager was 206 played, 99 won, 39 drawn, 68 lost (a win percentage of 48%).

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Bob Blyth was the manager of Portsmouth Football Club from 1901-1904. Portsmouth won the 1901/02 Southern League title under Blyth.

Bob Blyth began his career as a wing-half playing for Glasgow Rangers. He then moved to Preston North End before signing for Pompey in 1899 becoming their first team captain. He became player/manager from 1901 to 1904.

After his playing career ended he was elected to the board of Pompey directors in 1909. He later became Vice Chairman in 1920 and then Chairman in 1924, meaning he served the club at every level. He later became landlord at the Travellers Joy in Milton Road. He died in Portsmouth in 1941 aged 71.

He had a nephew who went on to become possibly one of the greatest managers of all time; Bill Shankly 

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