Celebration event being planned after Pompey's League One title triumph - promotion expected to "boost" city

Portsmouth City Council leader Steve Pitt said the local authority and Portsmouth FC are working together to organise the ceremony. Finer details around the event have yet to be ironed out. Connor Shaughnessy’s 89th minute header in a 3-2 victory over Barnsley on Tuesday night secured Pompey’s passage to the Championship for the first time since 2012.

Cllr Pitt said the men’s and women’s teams winning their respective divisions is an excellent boost for the city. He told The News: “This city has football running through its veins. It’s intrinsic and runs through the core of who we are and our identity. It is always inspirational to see the club being successful.

“It will be a welcome boost to the local economy during a difficult time for a lot of businesses. We’ve seen some recent closures in the hospitality trade here and across the country. It’s welcome that there will be some additional income for them, and the club’s success is intrinsically applied to the city’s success.”

The last time Portsmouth FC won league silverware was in 2017 - clinching the League Two title on the last day of the season after a 6-1 win against Cheltenham at Fratton Park. Fans gathered on Southsea Common to watch Paul Cook and his team on stage.

Cllr Pitt said Pompey’s League One win will bring various long-term social and economic benefits to the city. “The way the Eisner’s have built and developed the club in a very careful and methodical way will continue to achieve success”, he said, “hopefully Pompey will get to the Premiership and the women’s team will get promoted again. That investment they've made into the core of the club has been carefully curated, and has been paying dividends.

“As well as the obvious benefits to the club, it will be great and inspiring the next generation of young people to get active and involved with football locally. The opportunity around the King George V playing fields was well timed. The country generally is in quite a difficult mood at the moment. There’s a lot of challenges we’re all facing, so in terms of social cohesion, having something to celebrate is very welcome. Hopefully it will give people something to smile about in a difficult period for them.”

Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan, Labour, said this season was fantastic and go down in history. He added that a celebration event would be the perfect thing to honour a brilliant season.

“The club and the fans have gone through a long and difficult journey in recent years, so it has been brilliant for the city and all Pompey supporters to have so much to celebrate this year,” the politician said. “The scenes at Fratton Park last night will live long in the memory and I know all Pompey fans are buzzing that the club is heading in the right direction again.”

Professor Graham Galbraith, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Portsmouth, added: “The special position that the club holds within our community means that their success is the city’s success, and we are all so proud of the club’s achievements. The University is proud to have played a small part in this success, and to have witnessed first-hand the great work that has gone into these promotions across the club. From John Mousinho and Jay Sadler and their respective players, right across Pompey Health and Fitness, Fratton Park and Westleigh Park, it has felt like the culmination of a huge collective effort.”