Pompey director's 37-word message to Fratton faithful after huge Derby and Bolton setbacks

Eric Eisner delivered a simple message to the Pompey family following the Blues' latest title boost: let's concentrate on ourselves.

The Fratton faithful were rejoicing on Tuesday night without seeing their side kick a ball. Nearest challengers for the League One crown, Derby and Bolton, were among the teams in action as clubs looked to get games in hand off their fixture schedules. But both contenders posted league defeats to move John Mousinho’s side a step closer to their ambitions of returning to the Championship.

Like many of the , Pompey fan base, Eisner took to X, formerly Twitter, to express his joy with the latest twist in the race for automatic promotion and title glory. But while he welcomed defeats inflicted by Charlton and Wigan on the second and third-placed teams, he emphasised the importance of Pompey not getting carried away and concentrating on fulfilling their side of the deal.

He wrote: ‘Great results around the league tonight! As they say, points in the bag are better than games in hand. So true. All this def helps but we just have to focus on ourselves. 11 games to go…..’

Derby’s 2-1 home defeat to Charlton and Bolton’s 1-0 loss at Wigan means Pompey’s seven-point lead at the top of the division remains intact. The Trotters still have a game in hand on Mousinho & Co but can only close the gap to four points if they win that head-to-head with fellow promotion-chasers Barnsley.

The Blues still have plenty of work to do, with fixtures against five of the top seven-placed teams still to be played between now and the end of the season. That includes a home game against the Rams on Monday, April 1, plus a trip to Ian Evatt’s Trotters on Saturday, April 13.

Pompey’s ambitions have been boosted recently by an eight-match unbeaten run that has produced six wins, while others around them have faltered. But with plenty of football still to be played, now’s not the time to take anything for granted.

The Blues’ next opponents are seventh-placed Oxford United at Fratton Park on Saturday. While that game is being contested, Derby are at home to Port Vale as Bolton entertain Cambridge United at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.