Portsmouth are back in the Championship after a 12-year absence following a 3-2 victory over Barnsley which confirmed them as League One champions.
Colby Bishop and Conor Shaughnessy scored 83rd and 89th-minute goals for John Mousinho’s team at Fratton Park on Tuesday, sparking a pitch invasion and wild celebrations at the full-time whistle.
Portsmouth, FA Cup winners under Harry Redknapp in 2008, were relegated from the Premier League in 2010 amid financial turmoil and would later spiral as low as League Two, English football’s fourth tier.
The club stabilised following former Disney chief executive Michael Eisner’s takeover in 2017 after manager Paul Cook had led them to promotion back to League One.
Portsmouth spent seven seasons in the division, before amassing 94 points in 44 games this season under Mousinho, who is in his first senior head coach role.
The south coast club will be hoping to replicate the success of Kieran McKenna’s Ipswich Town, who are in contention to win the Championship on the back of winning League One last season.
For now though, next season can wait as Portsmouth’s supporters savour another step on an arduous journey back up the Football League.
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