Portsmouth boss makes huge claim in emotional tribute to Fratton Faithful

And the Blues boss has delivered an emotional tribute to the Fratton Faithful for their unstinting support, in the wake of memorably securing Championship survival.

Mousinho has told how he thought the huge appreciation he’s been afforded for guiding the club in the second tier as League One champions was on the wane at times this term, amid some testing moments.

But Pompey’s followers have stayed firmly behind their leader, even through a worrying start to the campaign and an arduous season on the road.

Mousinho pinpointed January’s 5-1 defeat at West Brom as a key moment in which he thought he would receive flak from the away end, as he gave his customary round of applause after the thumping.

The travelling following instead sung the 38-year-old’s name, with the moment a moving one which resonated profoundly with the Pompey boss.

Mousinho explained it was that moment that assured him there was a unity around the club which gave the Blues a big chance of survival, as cracks appeared at their relegation rivals.

The Pompey boss also feels maintaining the intensity of their backing through such moments, means the class of their support goes beyond that seen in the title win last year.

Mousinho said: ‘I almost think the support has gone beyond last season.

‘It’s never supporting any football club and I can imagine it’s not easy supporting Portsmouth.

‘I’m a long-suffering Spurs fan, which I’ve spoken about before. That’s not easy, but they’ve played in the Premier League every year since I was born.

‘But the fans have really been through the mill here.

‘It can’t have been easy supporting the team at times this year, it just can’t be easy - but the level of support has been incredible,

‘It can’t have been easy on a Wednesday night at Stoke, having been beaten absolutely resoundingly 6-1.

‘I don’t know what I would have done as a fan, probably walked out and protested!

‘Stoke, Bristol City, Derby and West Brom’

‘But the fans didn’t, they stuck with us. They stuck with us at Stoke, Bristol City, Derby and West Brom.

‘I think it maybe helped that they knew where we were trying to go as a football club, and what we’re trying to achieve.

‘But they were very, very powerful moments and the West Brom game was an extremely powerful moment.

‘At West Brom I thought I’d ran out of credit. I know we were rubbish on the day, regardless of the changes we made we weren’t good enough - and that’s a reflection on myself.

‘But when they started singing my name afterwards I thought, you know what, we’ve got half a chance here.'

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