Where are they now? The last Pompey team to play in the Championship - Crystal Palace, UAE and personal trainer

Pompey’s end goal is in sight - if they avoid defeat to Barnsley, they will seal a return to the EFL Championship.

Pompey can seal a return to the Championship this evening by avoiding defeat against Barnsley in their Sky Bet League One fixture.

The Blues had the opportunity to do it at the weekend but they were held to a 1-1 draw against Bolton Wanderers and the results didn't go in their favour. Pompey now know though that a draw tonight will earn them promotion whilst a victory would give them the league title.

It's 4,371 days exactly that Portsmouth last played in the Championship. They knew that they were already relegated when they arrived at the City Ground to face Nottingham Forest on Saturday, April 28, 2012.

A miserable season was compounded by a defeat to the Reds on the final day of the 2011/12 campaign. Michael Appleton was the man in charge at the time whilst Forest were managed by Steve Cotterill, who was in charge of the club until his departure in mid-October.

For the whole of the first half and more than a quarter of the second they held out but eventually Forest broke the deadlock. Dexter Blackstock scored with a left-footed shot after being set up by Garath McCleary. Blackstock was at the double in the final minute of normal time as he headed home from an Andy Reid corner.

The result saw Portsmouth finish on 40 points, finishing 22nd ahead of Coventry City on goal difference, but eight points off of tonight's opponents Barnsley who finished above them. Pompey were relegated the immediate season after spending four seasons in League Two before being promoted in 2017, and they've been in the third tier of English football for seven seasons since.

After many failed attempts with various different managers and players, John Mousinho is the man who has them within touching distance of the Championship. Ahead of what could be a huge night for the club, we take a trip down memory lane to look at the last Pompey team to play in the division the club has craved returning to.

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