Derby County 1 Portsmouth 1: Neil Allen's verdict - A day to be jealous as Blues also-rans and never-weres served painful reminder of failure

As the crowing travelling faithful had repeatedly reminded exasperated Derby supporters throughout the 1-1 draw – you’re staying down with the Pompey.

Not entirely true, of course, with the Rams occupying the final play-off spot, two points ahead of last remaining challengers Peterborough with one match to go.

Still, it’s the football fans’ prerogative to gloat about rivals’ despair. Similarly, Gary O’Neil’s name and ‘relegation’ was also sung on many occasions by that 3,120 faithful. Can’t think why.

Yet once the final whistle sounded, invariably those smiles would have faded and instead the dawning of reality occupied minds and conversations on the long journey home.

While Derby’s misfortune was toasted, elsewhere Ipswich thundered in six goals to win promotion, while a 20th league home win for Plymouth also returned them to the Championship.

Naturally, they’ll be envious Pompey glares in the direction of two football clubs who have this season succeeded where the Blues failed so miserably.

Sights of supporters swarming onto pitches celebrating promotion, players hoisted onto shoulders and being carried off, the letting off of appropriately coloured flares. Spectacles tough to stomach for those left behind, forced to watch with noses pinned against the glass.

Neither Ipswich or Plymouth triumphed at Fratton Park this season, indeed each of those encounters were tight affairs, with then-manager Danny Cowley’s men the better side for considerable periods.

Yet, as the campaign has progressed, the gulf between simpering pretenders like Pompey and true League One heavyweights has become embarrassing.

Cowley and recruitment during his unsuccessful reign must primarily take responsibility, although, playing budgets and Tornante’s financial input will rightly also be scrutinised.

Ipswich boast one of the top-two budgets in the division, paying some of their talented squad five figures a week in wages, with losses of £12.6m revealed in latest accounts for the year ending June 30, 2022.

Incidentally, when well-placed in second at the turn of the year, they splashed out £1.5m to bring in Nathan Broadhead from Everton, while George Hurst arrived on loan from Leicester City.

To think, in that painful 2018-19 campaign, in efforts to bolster their table-topping position, Kenny Jackett’s Blues recruited Omar Bogle and James Vaughan on loan in the January window. And Bryn Morris.

As for Plymouth, widely believed to possess a smaller budget than afforded to Fratton Park head coaches this term, victory in their final match would take them to a staggering 101 points – and the League One title.

Intriguingly, both promoted clubs have rookie bosses flourishing in first managerial roles. Kieran McKenna and Steven Schumacher, aged 36 and 38 respectively, haven’t done too badly as ‘cheap’ options.

Still, their success utilising contrasting financial models will no doubt infuriate or inspire, dependant on your outlook. Nonetheless, they have accomplished something far beyond the Blues this season.

Mousinho made a good fist of it in the end, but the damage was done under a predecessor shown the door at the start of his fourth transfer window, longevity rarely afforded to managers these days.

Now condemned to a seventh season at this level, everywhere lies brutal reminders on the ongoing failure to escape – player mistakes, misjudgement and misfortune which sting.

Conor Chaplin, who had to drive his move away from Fratton Park in search of regular football, registered his 29th goal of the season in Ipswich’s mauling of Exeter, with 10 of those arriving in his last eight matches.

Promotion also for Plymouth’s Matt Butcher, the Denmead lad and Pompey fan available on a free last summer who held talks with Cowley before the Blues decided to look elsewhere.

He started against Burton on Saturday in the 1-0 victory which earned them promotion, representing his 48th outing – and 31st league start for the Pilgrims.

Michael Smith, so pilloried by the Fratton faithful, whose most significant contribution as a Pompey player was playing the drums while sporting a plaster cast on his leg during the Southsea Common celebrations to mark the League Two title.

Now a fearsome, free-scoring striker who, at the weekend, netted a hat-trick in Sheffield Wednesday’s weekend win at Shrewsbury as they head into the play-offs.

How the Owls have missed George Byers, the former Blues loanee who struggled for games under Jackett and Cowley, yet has been injured since March, coinciding with surrendering their place at the top of the table.

Admittedly, nobody is wrong with hindsight, yet all are enjoying flourishing careers, particularly this season, while Pompey remain also-rans and never-weres in ongoing League One imprisonment.

Still, at least the Fratton faithful were grateful not to witness another party at their expense on Saturday, in terms of denying Derby the three points their play-off bid desired.

It was 12 months earlier when the final fixture of the 2021-23 campaign took Cowley’s men to Sheffield Wednesday, with the hosts clinching a 4-1 success to qualify for the semi-finals amid a jubilant 33,394 crowd.

The home celebrations were particularly tough to witness considering Pompey themselves had finished 10th, with Cowley as crestfallen as any Blues supporter.

This time, 31,734 turned out for Pompey’s last away trip of the campaign, and, thankfully, we were spared a repeat of such scenes.

On Saturday, it was completely against the run of play when Colby Bishop met Joe Morrell’s cross from the right with breath-taking precision, steering a header into the net via the inside of the far post.

The leveller arrived 19 minutes from time when James Collins, once a Cowley target before 24-goal Bishop was on the scene, pounced after Conor Hourihane’s free-kick had been headed down.

It signalled a hard-fought point for the Blues, although fully deserved, with that 24th-minute opener transforming their performance and silencing the once-noisy home faithful.

Not that it truly mattered once results elsewhere filtered through and clubs once ludicrously perceived as promotion rivals began well-deserved celebrations.

This is what you could have won – and, understandably, every, single Pompey fan is jealous.