'I had to leave Portsmouth for my sanity' - Lincoln boss Michael Appleton lifts lid on controversial Fratton Park exit

But the 45-year-old is adamant he loved his time at Pompey – until off-field pressures became unbearable.

Appleton brings second-placed Lincoln to the south coast tomorrow night seeking to enhance their promotion ambition during what is developing into an excellent season.

It was the Blues who granted him his first managerial position in November 2011, departing as Roy Hodgson’s right-hand man at West Brom for the opportunity.

Yet he walked into a Championship club which soon imploded, with the collapse of owners Convers Sports Initiatives plunging them into administration.

What followed was a points deduction, relegation, dealing with Balram Chainrai and Levi Kushnir and endless financial issues.

Then, three days short of his one-year anniversary, Appleton tended his resignation following a 1-0 home defeat to Brentford which signified a fourth-straight loss and left the Blues 17th in League One.

In a candid interview with Pompey: The Island City With A Football Club For A Heart in October 2019, he explained why he quit for Blackpool.

And the full extent of problems behind the scenes which Appleton believes left him no alternative but to leave Fratton Park in November 2012.

‘As difficult as my time was at Pompey, I absolutely loved it, yet the final six weeks of the job took its toll on me. I had stopped enjoying it,’ explained Appleton in Pompey: The Island City With A Football Club For A Heart.

‘My routine was now taking training in the morning and driving to Fratton Park in the afternoon to hold meetings with the administrators or potential new owners. I did that almost every single day for six weeks – that’s not football management.

‘I wanted to work with my players and staff, preparing for matches and analysing the opposition, but instead had to spend 2-3 hours in the boardroom.

‘I found myself doing things not within my remit, such as speaking to different groups who wanted to buy Pompey.

‘There were two or three groups from Asia, one from America, and I was expected to be in attendance to talk football, the squad, plans for the future if the finances were right, pretty much everything I mentioned in the interview with Vladimir (Antonov) and Roman (Dubov) at the very beginning of my time at the club.

‘There would also be meetings with Trevor (Birch) and the administrators, discussing how we could keep the club running for an extra couple of weeks.

‘I wasn’t just a coach or football manager. I was a board member, except there was no board, just me and Trevor.

‘Don’t get me wrong, you can argue that was what the role required at that time, but, having since spoken to other managers who have been in similar situations, their roles were pretty much to coach the team and try to win games of football, regardless of what was going on in the background.

‘My departure for Blackpool was very sudden and could have been dealt with better, but my enjoyment in the role had gone completely.

‘I was at my absolute lowest point after losing to Brentford, I went home that evening and my energy levels were not where they should be.

‘I was aware that everything occurring off the field was getting on top of me and affecting me. It was definitely starting to impact upon my mindset during the matches. My mood in between games changed and I was struggling to stay positive because I didn’t have anyone to lean on.

‘When you are put into that situation and have to continue motivating people while feeling awful yourself, it becomes difficult. For my own sanity, I had to do something different.

‘At various stages, three clubs at Championship level came in for me. Trevor Birch was very open about it in the press, yet I was hoping it would get better at Pompey. Eventually you reach the point where you ask whether it actually is going to improve. Will I at some point be the scapegoat for all this?

‘In addition, I was going through a few personal issues, my kids were living up north, it was a difficult time and got on top of me. When the opportunity arose to join Blackpool, it meant being closer to them.

‘I don’t think people realised what was going on for me to arrive at that decision. I had to leave Pompey.’

Pompey: The Island City With A Football Club For A Heart is priced at £19.99 and available from Amazon, Waterstones and the Pompey Shop.

For player-autographed copies, signed by Jack Whatmough, Craig MacGillivray, Andy Cannon, Ben Close, Lee Brown Sean Raggett, James Bolton and Guy Whittingham, email [email protected]

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