Exclusive: Eisners hailed despite what Portsmouth fans are saying
Portsmouth have endured a mixed season littered with uphill battles and challenges in the Championship in 2024-25.
The Blues are continuing their bid to stave off any threat of relegation, and saw their three-game winning streak ended at the hands of Luton Town on Saturday (1 March).
Pompey brought in 14 signings last summer in a squad overhaul to cope at a higher standard, with a further eight recruited in the recent winter transfer window.
Darke identifies key Portsmouth signing as success story
Portsmouth had to get busy in the transfer market on a limited budget compared to the bigger fish of the Championship after promotion.
One player who they brought in on a handy free transfer was Andre Dozzell, who had gathered Championship experience with Ipswich Town and more recently QPR.
Dozzell shunned other options in the second tier to join Portsmouth, and TV commentator and Blues fan Ian Darke has lauded the recruitment of the midfield man with his performances having improved throughout the campaign.
“Dozzell fits into that category of a player who has performed over and above what many expected,” Darke exclusively told Pompey News.
“Definitely him, he has performed well. I don’t have a huge problem with the recruitment, though some fans thought we should have spent a lot more. The club being run the way it is by the Eisners is such that there is actually pretty good cover.”
Pompey acquiring Championship pedigree on a budget
When Portsmouth came back into the second tier having soared to the top of League One last year, they instantly went from being a brute force to one of the smaller-budgeted sides.
This has been found with many clubs moving up in the leagues for years, and the gap between divisions in English professional football is ever-widening.
Pompey had to strike that balance in the last two windows of bringing in Championship experience while not breaking the bank, and in that regard they have done fairly well.
Dozzell, Josh Murphy and Matt Ritchie have experience at this level and were all signed for nothing. Others have been taken in on loan, such as Isaac Hayden who has been a Premier League player for years.
Some are future projects with a little more risk attached, even if signed for nominal sums. Then there are the likes of Abdoulaye Kamara and Ibane Bowat, who will be expected to prove themselves next season having been signed for fees.
| Andre Dozzell – professional career | Appearances | |
| 2016-21 | Ipswich Town | 93 |
| 2021-24 | QPR | 98 |
| 2023-24 | Birmingham City (loan) | 10 |
| 2024-present | Portsmouth | 31 |
Hayden Matthews still falls into that category, having started well for Portsmouth but now been ruled out for the season with an ankle injury.
The summer is once again huge at Fratton Park, but the task to stay in the Championship remains ongoing and there cannot be any room to take the foot off the gas.