A celebration to live forever: Twenty years on from night Portsmouth reached Premier League

‘The night before I was thinking, if I score a goal I will jump into the crowd,’ said Svetoslav Todorov, on the 20th anniversary of the finish which delivered Premier League football - and an evening etched deep in Pompey’s proud 125-year history.

At 9.13pm on April 15, 2003 that moment arrived at Fratton Park against Burnley. Cue a giant leap into the Fratton End - and ascent into the pantheon of greats.

‘I have no idea where this came from, I was a young boy with silly ideas - so who knows!’ the hall of famer recalls.

‘We could have got promoted against Sheffield Wednesday in the game before, but it wasn’t like I thought the same thing then – it was just for Burnley.

‘I didn’t feel the pressure that night, I was comfortable. How can you not feel comfortable when you step out at Fratton Park with these fans behind you? This is impossible.

‘I came to the Forest Green game recently and had so many fans show love towards me. I had so many people say they were there when I jumped into the Fratton End, I had one person say: “I was a young boy and you jumped over me!”. After the game I got taken to a pub at one point, my missus said: “where are you going? Sorry I’m going with them!’.

‘These are the memories you create and you cannot take them away from people. It’s one of the very best moments in my life, it was the full package.’

To hear Todorov reflect on the events of the exultant events of the Burnley victory, is to hear a Pompey fan. The Bulgarian speaks with the same passion felt by those who felt the joy of seeing their side rise to football’s top table from second-tier obscurity. And he does so with the same detail which should afford the golden boot winner an honorary place in the Pompey History Society.

Todorov added: ‘Look at the team that night. Shaka Hislop, Festa, Linvoy, Foxe in defence. Steve Stone right wing-back, Matty Taylor left wing-back. Tim Sherwood, Nigel Quashie and Paul Merson. Then it was me and Lee Bradbury up front with Yakubu injured - he was there for the celebrations! You just have to look at the bench and those who didn’t come on. Kevin Harper and Gary O’Neil didn’t come on, it was just Vincent Pericard for Bradders.

‘I don’t remember too many chances, we had a penalty in the first half which Merse missed and it wasn’t happening. Everything happens for a reason in life, though, and then the chance came. It was a special night. The team, the season, the whole package - and it all happened on that night. The time flies but the memories are clear - and that is so special.’