Portsmouth Women have achieved something even ‘bigger’ than men’s team
Portsmouth as a whole can take stock over the past year and be proud of their achievements in every department.
For a second season running, the women’s team at Pompey matched the men’s team in terms of their relative progress, earning promotion as champions last season to then maintaining their league status this time around.
John Mousinho’s men’s team rounded off their Championship campaign with a 1-1 draw at Fratton Park against Hull City on Saturday (3 May), finishing 16th and with an unbeaten run of five games.
Portsmouth Women success ‘bigger’ than men’s, says Ian Darke
For Jay Sadler and his Portsmouth Women side, their transition from semi-pro to professional took some teething issues to overcome, before going on to secure enough solid results to stay afloat in the Women’s Championship.
The 11-team league witnesses its final day on Sunday (4 May), as London City Lionesses and Birmingham City Women battle it out for a showdown to win the title and promotion to the WSL.
Pompey were the odd team to finish their campaign a week early, demolishing Blackburn Rovers 4-0 at Fratton last weekend (27 April) to condemn Sheffield United to the drop.
TV commentator and Blues supporter Darke, speaking exclusively to Pompey News, went as far as to rank Sadler’s girls’ journey as even more impressive than that of Mousinho and his squad.
“It’s great for the club to build,” Darke declared.
“I think it’s great if the women’s team grow and become a bit of a force. They did look doomed and out of their depth for a lot of their time in that division from what I’d been seeing, but they’ve got out of it.
“That might even be a bigger footballing achievement than what the men did – so, hats off to them.”
Pompey can go again next year
It is remarkable how rapidly Portsmouth Women have grown, progressing from amateur, through the abyss of semi-professionalism to full-time operations within just over a year.
It may be the case the Blues were saved by the one-team relegation zone system, but they will care not one iota.
| Portsmouth Women | |
| 2023-24 | Promoted to Championship |
| 2024-25 | Turned full-time, stayed up in Championship |
This summer is now a prime opportunity to further develop, become more accustomed to the routine of the professional game, and continue to sign established talent who can perform at the level.
The Eisners undertook control of the women’s team in 2023, bringing it in as a completely united entity with the men’s team and academy, and since then the investment has reaped great rewards.