Portsmouth proudly stand as the South Coast’s most successful professional football club.
Founded in 1898, Pompey have a rich history which has been decorated from start to finish with silverware.
Among their trophy cabinet, Portsmouth boast four ‘major’ trophies (domestic league and cup titles), the last of which was won as recently as 2008.
Here, Pompey News takes you through the silverware Pompey have lifted down the years.
Portsmouth league trophies
Portsmouth gained major sporting headlines shortly after the Second World War, when football resumed after a six-year hiatus.
Pompey won back-to-back English league titles in 1949 and 1950, which remain their only championships to date.
However, the Blues have won the title of the other three divisions in the English league pyramid in the 21st century: Division One (now the Championship) in 2003; League One in 2024, and League Two in 2017.
- First Division: champions 1949, 1950
- Second Division: champions 2003, promoted 1927, 1987
- Third Division: champions 1924, 1963, 1984, 2024
- Fourth Division: champions 2017, promoted 1980
- Southern League first division: champions 1902, 1920
- Western League first division: champions 1901, 1902, 1903
Portsmouth FA Cup trophies
Portsmouth hold a unique record with the FA Cup, having been in possession of the trophy for the longest period of time when they lifted it in 1939 – before WWII put a hold on football for six years. Pompey therefore held the cup at Fratton Park for seven years, until it was contested again in 1946.
The Blues’ second FA Cup is far more memorable to almost any adult supporter, won at the new Wembley Stadium in 2008 after Harry Redknapp masterminded a run with his Premier League squad to success.
Pompey overcame Cardiff City under the arch in the final, by the same scoreline and goalscorer – Nigerian icon Kanu – as they had done in the semis against West Bromwich Albion.
Portsmouth, this time under Avram Grant, reached the final once again just two years later, losing out to Grant’s former side Chelsea after beating Tottenham Hotspur – managed by Redknapp – in the semi-final.
- FA Cup winners: 1939, 2008
- FA Cup runners-up: 1929, 1934, 2010
| Portsmouth – FA Cup run 2007-08 | Date |
| Ipswich Town 0-1 Portsmouth | 5 January 2008 |
| Portsmouth 2-1 Plymouth Argyle | 26 January 2008 |
| Preston North End 0-1 Portsmouth | 17 February 2008 |
| Manchester United 0-1 Portsmouth | 8 March 2008 |
| West Bromwich Albion 0-1 Portsmouth | 5 April 2008 |
| Portsmouth 1-0 Cardiff City | 17 May 2008 |
2008 FA Cup final, Portsmouth v Cardiff City
Portsmouth supporters knew heading down Wembley Way on 17 May 2008 that they would never have a better chance to win a major trophy in the modern era.
For the vast majority, it was set to be the first major trophy of their lifetimes, with Pompey having remarkably been the last Premier League side standing in the last four, alongside Championship clubs Cardiff, West Bromwich Albion and Barnsley.
The Blues won every match on their journey by the odd goal, including a memorable quarter-final victory over Sir Alex Ferguson’s title-winning Manchester United squad at Old Trafford.
As he had done against former club West Brom in the semi-final, iconic towering striker Kanu hit the decisive goal against the Bluebirds to ensure a triumphant campaign for Portsmouth.
Portsmouth – other trophies
Portsmouth have also scooped other trophies across their history, as supporters dream when their next major trophy journey will come.
The most recent was an EFL Trophy triumph back at Wembley in 2019, when the Blues overcame Sunderland on penalties after a 2-2 draw.
- Community Shield: winners 1948, runners-up 2008
- EFL Trophy: winners 2019, runners-up 2020
- Hampshire Senior Cup: winners 1903, 1913, 1952, 1987