Grant: This is for the best fans around
Avram Grant pointed the way to an emotional Wembley return and insisted: This is for the best fans in the country.
Pompey are back at the home of English football next month after Saturday's 2-0 FA Cup quarter-final triumph over Birmingham.
They will face either Fulham or Spurs in the last four on the weekend of April 10-11.
A match-up with Spurs would see Pompey take on former manager Harry Redknapp – but it would also mean Jamie O'Hara is Cup-tied against his parent club.
Many Blues supporters were choking back the tears after Frederic Piquionne's double secured them their semi-final spot.
There were truly moving scenes as they celebrated a glorious high in a season of too many lows, including administration for the club.
For Grant, who has masterminded the fairytale and whose family were in the south stand watching on Saturday, it meant the world.
And afterwards he paid tribute to the Fratton faithful who have taken him to their hearts.
Grant said: 'If I can keep this spirit and make other people happy, these fans deserve it. They are the best in the country.
'I don't know if other supporters can be behind the club in difficult days like this.
'I think that everybody needs to learn from this situation, what the fans are doing is amazing. They are behind the team – it's like fathers behind his son.
'Here nobody has done the wrong thing and they are behind the team.
'This is what football is about and some people sometimes, with all the money and business, forget what is the nature of football.
'The nature of the football is what you see here in Portsmouth. This relationship with the fans is something that makes me so proud. I am proud of their commitment and I want to do things for them also.'
Pompey will now head back to Wembley for the first time since facing Manchester United in the Community Shield in August 2008.
That was their third appearance there in five months, following on from the Cup semi-final and, finally, the glorious May 17 victory over Cardiff.
And Grant believes the feat Pompey's class of 2010 has so far pulled off is even more remarkable than their 2008 predecessors.
He added: 'To be with this team at Wembley I think is amazing. I don't even know how to describe it. It's an amazing situation and something I will keep with me all my life.'
A semi-final clash with Spurs would see Pompey come up against Redknapp and a host of ex-Fratton stars.
Grant added: 'I've just spoken to Harry. I wished him well for the quarter-final replay against Fulham, but I hope he loses the semi-final!'
Redknapp insisted he would not focus on Pompey until his side had seen off Fulham in their quarter-final replay.
The man who led the Blues to Cup glory two years ago said: 'I'm delighted for Pompey to be going back to Wembley.
'I'm delighted for Avram, the players, the club and the supporters. But we've got to beat Fulham first.'
Meanwhile, midfielder O'Hara admitted he would be cheering on Fulham against Spurs to avoid being forced to miss out on Wembley.
The on-loan star said: 'It is a weird one because for the first time in my life I will be hoping Spurs lose.
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'I have always supported them but I've got to be selfish and honest — I want Fulham to go through. I want to play at Wembley.'
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Weather for Portsmouth
Friday 10 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -3 C to 4 C
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