Leeds are back - How Portsmouth inflicted humiliation in their last Premier League season

Certainly Pompey fans – and Gary O’Neil – have fond memories of the Yorkshire giants’ last top-flight season in 2003-04.

For Harry Redknapp’s side inflicted a 6-1 Fratton Park humbling in that campaign.

It turned out to be Leeds’ heaviest defeat in a relegation season which would condemn them to life outside of the top – until now.

In was November 2003 when Peter Reid brought his side to the south coast for what would turn out to be his final match in charge, sacked just two days later.

Pompey were months into their maiden Premier League season following promotion from Division One. They couldn’t win on their travels, but remained a force at home.

Redknapp elected to hand O’Neil his top-flight debut for Leeds’ visit, having recently recalled him from a successful loan spell at Walsall.

The home-grown midfielder marked the occasion by scoring twice in a thumping 6-1 victory in front of 20,112 at Fratton Park.

Dejan Stefanovic’s opener was cancelled out by Alan Smith shortly afterwards, with the game heading into the interval at 1-1.

However, on the stroke of half-time, O’Neil delivered a lovely right-foot volley from outside the box to regain the hosts’ lead.

Leeds would not recover, capitulating during the second half as Hayden Foxe, O’Neil again, Patrik Berger and Yakubu rattled in goals.

O’Neil’s second saw him collect a pass from Berger and then bend a right-footed shot into the far corner in front of the Milton end area of the ground.

Although if the youngster felt he thought he had achieved his first-team breakthrough in the top-flight, he was mistaken.

Despite that two-goal blast, O’Neil featured just twice more that season.

As for Leeds, after sacking Reid shortly afterwards, they turned to club legend Eddie Gray to keep them in the Premier League.

However, they were relegated along with Wolves and Leicester

Last night they finally returned following West Brom’s 2-1 defeat against Huddersfield.

Meanwhile, Pompey finished 13th that 2003-04 season, with Yakubu their 19-goal top scorer and skipper Arjan De Zeeuw named The News/Sports Mail’s Player of the Season.

Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds will be crowned champions of the Championship if Brentford fail to be Stoke today – or United collect a point at Derby on Sunday.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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