On this day: Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp insists he's happy at Fratton Park

At the time, Redknapp had two years left on the three-year deal he signed in the summer of 2006.

But he wanted to stay longer and continue his work turning Pompey into a Premiership force.

He told The News back then: ‘I’m happy here.

'You never know in football – you can never tell about the future because it’s not in a manager’s hands.

‘But I could not be more comfortable than I am here.

'I’m enjoying it. It’s gone great.

‘It’s been nothing but good here. We won the title in my first year, stayed up in my second year and stayed up again last year.

'And now we’re having our best season for over 50 years.

‘I’ve not exactly jumped from club to club in my 25 years as a manager. I had 10 years at Bournemouth, eight at West Ham and now I’ve had more than four seasons here.

‘I had a short spell at Southampton, but that was something I felt I was pushed into.’

Pompey were destined to finish in the top-flight’s top 10 for the first time since 1955.

But Redknapp insisted he was not bothered by the lack of credit given to the club by some sections of the media.

He added: ‘I don’t care. It doesn’t bother me.

'I think people in the game know what we’ve done.

‘I came back here and had to rebuild a team again because the one I’d built had been disbanded.

‘Our best player, Yakubu, who is going to get you 20 goals a season, was sold.

‘They say never go back. Only I would be stupid enough to do it – but it’s worked out better than anyone could have hoped.’