10 great quotes from the day Portsmouth completed Great Escape at Wigan

The victory, following second-half goals from Benjani and Matt Taylor, secured the Blues’ Premiership season for another term, with one game remaining.

It was a scenario that looked well beyond reach nine games previously, when Pompey sat 10 points adrift at the bottom of the table.

However, Harry Redknapp & Co proved their doubters wrong to produce the greatest of Great Escapes.

Here’s what those closest to the action that day had to say after both player and fans celebrations at the JJB Stadium eventually relented.

Benjani

‘Everyone was waiting for my goal so I was extremely happy it came.

‘It was a good moment for me but also for the fans and everybody else.

‘My main goal was just to play well for the team and survive.

‘For me, it was not a worry not scoring as long as I played well.

‘For eight games I was not very good but then I started to perform.

‘Of course, it has been difficult. In France it is not that hard compared to football in England.

‘When I went to France I had to adapt and then I came here it was the same. It has been difficult.

‘Above all I have to thank Harry.

‘Even when I was down and the fans and everyone were wondering why he brought me here he kept on saying: “I know you will do it”.’

Harry Redknapp

‘When I came back it wasn’t easy. I expected some of the fans not to be on my side, and I knew I was putting myself under severe pressure – again!

‘I took on a big challenge, and for Milan it was probably the last throw of the dice because we were marooned with just 10 points from 15 games.

‘It was a case of giving it everything to try to turn it around, and it’s not been easy.

‘What we have achieved is unbelievable.’

Gary O’Neil

‘Every single one of us was fantastic. I think most of the lads performed as well as I’ve ever seen them in the second half, including myself when I went in the middle.

‘I thought that was our best performance of the season in the second half.

‘When our game ended people said there was still three minutes to play at Birmingham.

‘But it wasn’t that long. As soon as the fans started jumping up and cheering, we knew it was all over.

‘The fans were incredible. I thought it was the Fratton End when I ran out there at the start.

‘It was so noisy. I’m so pleased for them. They dragged us through again.

‘Someone got me at the final whistle. They smelt a bit of booze but I managed to get away!’

Dejan Stefanovic

‘A few of the players and I had a couple of meetings with Milan.

‘We told him Harry was the only person who could keep us in the Premiership.

‘For the first six months under Perrin, I thought we weren’t going to win hardly any games.

‘He lost the dressing room after one month.

‘Harry got the best out of the players he left at the club and brought in some quality players, too.

‘And because of that we have survived.’

Milan Mandaric

‘In my seven years at Portsmouth Football Club this has to be the most emotional moment in terms of achieving something for a lot of reasons.

‘One of those was in bringing Harry back. A lot of people questioned that at the time, and it was a bold decision.

‘But I knew Harry was the only man to do what he has done here, and I am so delighted and happy for him.’

Richard Hughes

‘My first reaction on the whistle was of joy because we had played four minutes stoppage-time and I knew there couldn’t have been long left at St Andrews.

‘Then the roar came from the crowd – followed closely by the pitch invasion.

‘I escaped with just losing my shirt and didn’t get bundled too badly, but it was just a unique and glorious day.

I had a few drinks in Bournemouth and something to eat when I got home on Saturday night with a couple of the lads.

I hear some of the boys that live in and around Portsmouth headed for Tiger Tiger at Gunwharf Quays for a night of celebration.

‘Judging by the standard of performance from some of those who were on my team in our eight versus eight game yesterday, they may have had a few too many.’

Mick Quinn

‘There is only one man this is down to, and that is Harry Redknapp.

‘Pompey were down before he took over and he has turned it right round.

‘You can’t put into words what he has done for the club.

‘He has given everyone confidence and got the team playing attacking football.

‘It is a massive achievement to stay in the Premiership and means everything to the club.’

Arjan de Zeeuw

‘I would have preferred Pompey to have done it next week because that would mean we would have had some points out of the game.

‘But I’m glad they’ve stayed up.

‘They are fantastic supporters and have always been very good to me.

‘When I left and went back with Wigan earlier in the season they gave a standing ovation.

‘On Saturday they had their day and I’m happy.

‘I’m not just saying it, I’m genuinely delighted Pompey have stayed up.’

Milan Mandaric

‘My future is very solid.

‘Yes, I can tell our supporters I will be chairman next season – for the whole of the season.

‘One day I will leave and hand everything over to Sacha.

‘But before I go I want to see the stadium built and the club in a new training ground.

‘I want to see machines building the stands, the cement being poured, the stadium coming up in front of our eyes.

‘One day I will go. But I want to close the mission properly. The club is now on the football map, and now I want to complete the other stuff.

‘We’ve been working so hard on the stadium and I’m not going to leave until the thing has happened.

‘Work on it will start very soon – hopefully in the next few weeks.

‘We’ve been working on a deal for a new training ground for nine months, and that’s very close to being completed.’

Mark Storey – then chief sports writer at The News

‘Redknapp had delivered what he had craved: the most extraordinary escape from relegation ever witnessed in the Premiership.

‘Deliverance for Pompey. And deliverance for their manager.

‘As the blue-and-white masses in the JJB’s north stand swallowed him up, so Redknapp returned to Pompey’s bosom.

‘The hero general who quit for the enemy had made amends. He had won them the war.

‘Twenty points from nine games in 50 impossible days.

‘From eight points adrift to safe with a game to spare.

‘The final battle again won on a northern field invaded by southerners.

‘To Huddersfield 1996 and Bradford 1998, now add Wigan 2006.

‘And this was the greatest victory yet – because of the scale of the job it finished, and the prize at the end of it.’