Pompey Hall-of-Famer and ex-Fulham, Palace and Manchester City man gunning for Qatar World Cup after performing Greek football's Great Escape

Kit Symons joined long-time friend Chris Coleman at Greek strugglers Atromitos in January, challenged to save them from relegation.

With the club having collected two wins from its opening 15 matches and second from bottom in the Greek Super League, it appeared a tough task.

However, on Sunday, the Athens-based Atromitos secured their top-flight status following a 1-1 draw with OFI – with three matches left.

Coleman and Symons, who are contracted until the season’s end, claimed 20 points from 14 matches, including five wins, to stay up.

Symons, who made 204 appearances for Pompey, has also been juggling his work in Greece with assisting the Wales national team.

The 51-year-old has been manager Rob Page’s assistant since May 2021, when he was appointed ahead of the rearranged Euro 2000 finals.

Working alongside fellow coach Alan Knill, he remains part of Wales’ backroom team as they seek to reach the Qatar World Cup.

Wales will play the winner of Scotland against Ukraine in the World Cup play-off final at the Cardiff City Stadium on June 5.

They will learn the identity of their opponents on June 1 as the three sides compete for a place in the November World Cup finals.

Pompey’s Joe Morrell is also likely to be involved in the decider, having established himself as a regular in the Wales squad.

Symons earned 36 caps as a centre-half, making his international debut while on the books at Fratton Park.

He spent 13 years with the Blues after rising through the ranks, before departing for Manchester City in August 1995.

The Basingstoke-born defender netted in Pompey’s 3-1 penalty shoot-out defeat to Liverpool in an FA Cup semi-final replay in April 1992.

He later skippered the side and, in April 2014, was inducted into the Fratton Park Hall of Fame, that intake also including Ernie Butler, Arjan de Zeeuw, Billy Gilbert, Harry Harris and Nicky Jennings.

Symons also spent time as Fulham manager, while served as assistant manager at Palace, Colchester, Fulham, Sunderland and Chinese side Hebei FC.

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