Portsmouth boss delivers impassioned address to Fratton faithful ahead of Leeds United Championship opener

After all the excitement of last season and anticipation we’ve felt through the summer, we are now here at the start of a special campaign.

I can tell you stepping up to the Championship after a 12-year absence for this club is an opportunity and challenge we are going to relish.

The reason we put all that hard work in last season was to make sure we played top sides - so we are going to embrace and look forward to going to Elland Road and all of these other brilliant grounds.

We feel we go into the season in pretty good shape, although it’s been a very different summer to 12 months again.

It’s also a very different challenge we face, we know that - it’s a very different league in terms of finances. With sides benefitting from parachute payments, quite a few in recent seasons, it’s something we have to contend with.

The disparity makes it a real challenge, but what a challenge it is - one I believe we can step up to.

And what about Leeds away for the first game! It’s going to be an amazing weekend, I think.

There’s been a lot of anticipation through the summer and the hype has been building, as we get closer to the opener.

It feels like everything has been doubled because of the fact it’s Leeds away and we’ve got such an exciting start with all the fixtures we have, including the three sides who’ve come down from the Premier League in the first seven.

I think that just all adds to the buzz which has been building up around the place, after so long out of the league and finally getting back there.

This is a day we’ve been looking forward to for a very long time.

From our point of view we approach the game with excitement not trepidation: we will attack every game we play.

If it’s a tough start on paper, that’s absolutely fine. People have talked about the first seven games being difficult - our eighth game is Stoke away! I don’t think by any stretch of the imagination that’s an easy one to follow up!

It shows that every single game home and away is against a very good Championship side, it’s a really strong group this year.

I think a lot of the lads who were part of the title-winning side have earned a chance to prove themselves in the Championship.

We will definitely see that in terms of team selection for the weekend, and the amount of players we saw at the back end of last season being involved. There’s also a lot of lads who’ve played in the Championship, who can slot into the side as well.

To be honest, it doesn’t really matter to me. Whether it’s a player who earned the chance from last season or has come in because we felt they were good players we could bring into the building, it’s now about who’s ready to play at the weekend.

Every time now it’s about putting a team out to do a job in this division.

There’s naturally a lot of focus on the Leeds game and we will travel up with thousands of fans, but there’s also a lot of anticipation about when we return to Fratton Park.

Millwall in the Carabao Cup will be a big game, but the Luton match with three points on the line is going to feel like a big return to Championship football at Fratton.

It’s two clubs who’ve been through the mill and we’ve taken different paths, but that will be a massive clash, too.

Welcoming sides to Fratton is going to be huge this season. We know we have to make it difficult for sides and a really tough place to play.

I can’t overstate the importance of the role you once again have to play this season in doing that.

We know it’s going to be tough at times and there will be testing moments, but I also believe there is the character and quality in this group to respond to those battles.

We know you won’t be found wanting - and together we can make this another memorable season for Portsmouth Football Club.