‘No finance, no Premier League’: Portsmouth champion’s ‘miracle’ warning over reaching top flight

The man who helped the Blues reach the top flight in 2003, reckons it will take increased spending on the pitch to make success in the Championship viable for his old side.

Sherwood has spoken fondly of his 18 months spent at Fratton Park, as he helped Harry Redknapp’s side to the Division One title.

The former England international was an eye-catching January capture from Spurs, as Milan Mandaric spent big in an effort to capitalise on Pompey’s table-topping position.

Sherwood played 17 times over the second half of the campaign, as Pompey stormed to the title in record-breaking fashion. A further 16 outings came at the highest level, before the Premier League champion with Blackburn departed for Coventry in the summer of 2004.

Now Sherwood works as a football pundit and has been looking on after Pompey returned to the second tier, after a 12-year absence.

He acknowledged they are now operating in a ‘crazy’ league, but without splashing the cash there’s no chance of leaving it in the right direction.

Speaking to OLGB, Sherwood said: ‘Portsmouth are a great club, I enjoyed my time down there. We managed to get promoted when I was there and it was such fun.

‘There is great support, magnificent support. In that ground they're right on top of you and let you know their feelings, whether it's good or bad.

‘The club was very close to my heart. It was the end of my career with Harry Redknapp. I went there, I really enjoyed it and managed to win some silverware. I hope the good times can return because it's been very difficult. For every club in the Championship, like I say, it’s a crazy league.

‘It's impossible to predict, but you need the finances to be able to get there. It’s no guarantee but with no finance there will be no promotion, but you do need half a miracle and that's what they need at the moment when you look at them.‘

Sherwood’s statement over spending comes in the same week in which Pompey Supporters’ Trust published a survey, where 62 per cent of those who took part wanted financial sustainability from the club over continued cash injections from the owners’

Tim Sherwood: ‘Throw some money at it

The Eisners have invested £41m in the club since assuming control in 2017 at the end of community ownership, with the club remaining debt free.

Pompey are known to have one of the lowest playing budgets in the Championship, however, even after it more than doubled after winning League One - with spending pushed further in January.

Sherwood feels investment outside of the current ownership could be something which invigorates the club further.

He added: ‘You just never know, someone might come in and throw some money at it for them - and I hope they do.’

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