Portsmouth accused of ‘cheap’ operation despite ‘huge’ £8m influx
Portsmouth have had plenty of expenses this season despite the fact they returned to the Championship after a 13-season hiatus last year.
With exposure to millions of pounds’ worth of extra funding in terms of television and matchday revenue which can loosen the pursestrings for survival, key infrastructural developments are also required to take place.
The Eisners have invested heavily into improving Fratton Park and Copnor Road to keep Pompey competitive in that regard for the long haul, while Andy Cullen oversees the business side of the spending and Rich Hughes works with John Mousinho on the footballing side.
Some Pompey fans have been incensed by their team’s apparent conservative approach to the latter of those institutions of the Blues’ operations.
Darke explains easy rod to beat Portsmouth with after wage bill revealed
It was revealed last month that Portsmouth are operating with a £7.2million annual wage bill this season, comfortably the lowest in the Championship and nearly £1.8million behind second-lowest spenders Plymouth Argyle.
While that makes anticipated survival in the division even more impressive, Ian Darke has claimed it also gives Pompey fans an easy rod to beat the board with in terms of not committing enough funds towards transfers.
Hughes oversaw a huge clutch of signings since promotion for Portsmouth to try and establish themselves in the league, many of them free transfers and loan deals.
Cullen has previously explained to supporters the financial investment from the Eisners into Fratton Park, which exceeded £15million since finally climbing out of League One last April.
TV commentator and Blues fan Darke admitted the hierarchy must be more “competitive” to last in the second tier.
“We don’t know what the details of individuals’ contracts are, but people will have read into the smallest wage bill thing as if Pompey are trying to do things on the cheap,” he exclusively told Pompey News.
“You get a huge influx of an extra £8million television money or something along the lines of that figure – that’s the difference between the Championship and League One.
“They will of course have to be competitive with the kind of deals and wages they’re offering to players moving forward, if they want to be competitive in the transfer market.”
Pompey on verge of survival but staggering over the line
In terms of their reduced spending compared to the majority of the Championship, Portsmouth have done well within their means to recruit a squad with more experience of the level.
In fact, most of the money spent has gone on youngsters as project signings for the future, the lion’s share of that group having barely made an impact this season due to Mousinho preferring his older crop.
| Lowest wage bills – Championship | Annual wages paid |
| PORTSMOUTH | £7.2million |
| Plymouth Argyle | £9million |
| Queens Park Rangers | £10.8million |
| Oxford United | £11million |
The away form of Portsmouth is keeping them in the survival battle right now, with six games to go which include potential six-pointers at home against Derby County this Saturday (12 April), and the finale against Hull City (3 May).