'Lodged in folklore, Proper support in defeat, Explosion of emotion': Portsmouth's best 14 moments of 2024-25 ranked
Chief sports writer Neil Allen selects his favourite 14 memories of Pompey’s 2024-25 season
14) Christian Saydee scoring against Hull (May 2025)
With Pompey’s safety secured, the last game of the season against Hull was effectively a dead rubber for the hosts, reflected by Mousinho keeping Ben Killip and Harvey Blair in the team to gauge their first-team suitability.
Nonetheless, the stage was set for Saydee, a bit-part player, to arrive off the bench and score his first Fratton Park goal in 14 months - and first goal anywhere since August 2024 at Middlesbrough.
A popular player who frustratingly struggles for a cutting edge, he crashed home an equaliser with a first-time shot from the angle before sinking to his knees and pointing skywards in quiet reflection amid a rejoicing Pompey faithful.
It was a wonderful moment to end the Blues’ season on - and you could see it meant the world to the former Bournemouth man.
13) Owen Beck’s Blackburn Taunt To Portsmouth Supporters (March 2025)
In normal circumstances, you would have to feel Owen Beck, having broken down just 13 minutes into his Blackburn comeback after seven weeks of being sidelined by injury.
Likewise, he was mistakenly accused of fakery and deception by the Fratton faithful as the clearly emotional defender was helped off the pitch - never to play again for the rest of the season. So, so harsh.
However, the 22-year-old did himself absolutely no favours by snapping back to the gloating Fratton End by gesturing that Pompey were going down. Not once, but twice, to poke the bear even further. Talk about ill-advised.
As fate would have it, just seven minutes later Josh Murphy grabbed the only goal of the game to earn Pompey a huge 1-0 victory over Blackburn, especially timely considering the circumstances in which they lost at Preston the previous match.
Mousinho’s men stayed up with two games to spare, of course, despite Beck’s bold prediction. He can be assured of a generous reception when he next returns to Fratton Park.
12) Regan Poole Scoring At Norwich (April 2025)
Unquestionably, the Norwich victory was one of the highlights of the season, as was Bishop’s first Pompey hat-trick. However, there was another wonderful moment involving Regan Poole.
Leading 4-2 with 19 minutes remaining, John Mousinho’s men finally put the game beyond reach when Poole netted his first goal of the season - and what a celebration. With a sprint and a knee slide in front of the travelling Pompey faithful.
After 10 months out injured, and even this season’s comeback not without its problems, missing another two-and-a-half months with hamstring and calf issues, it was an explosion of emotion and delight from the Welshman.
A talented player and one of the most likeable lads in the dressing room, no-one could possibly begrudge Poole’s first goal since September 2023.
11) Callum Lang Scoring Four Goals Against Coventry (December 2024)
Callum Lang had comfortably been Pompey’s stand-out performer during a difficult first half of the season - likewise, he was also their biggest goal threat.
Dynamic, energetic, hard working, he has been an instant hit since his January 2024 move from Wigan. He further enhanced that blossoming reputation by becoming the first Pompey player to register a league hat-trick since Marcus Harness in October 2020.
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He then went one better, matching Yakubu’s May 2002 feat of netting four times in a game, thereby inspiring a 4-1 triumph over the Sky Blues.
Unfortunately, injury dictated Lang would score just one more goal in the 2024-25 season as he finished with 10. Only Bishop scored more.
10) Portsmouth fans’ Classy Reaction At Stoke (October 2024)
It may sound ludicrous that a 6-1 defeat at Stoke, at the time branded by Mousinho as the worst performance of his 20 months at the club, should rank as a memorable moment. However, it was the travelling supporters who made it special.
The crushing defeat included five goals during a calamitous 11-minute spell as a rampant Tom Cannon netted four times. Nonetheless, the Pompey faithful stuck by their team throughout, staying until the bitter end, with constant renditions of the Chimes lasting beyond the final whistle.
There was no witch hunt, no clamour to abuse or give their team stick, no boos. Proper fans showing unwavering support in the most trying of circumstances which would epitomise the quality of support on the road in a season which produced just three wins away from Fratton Park.
9) Colby Bishop’s Norwich Hat-trick (April 2025)
The prolific former Accrington man had rattled in more than half a century of Pompey goals, yet a maiden hat-trick had always eluded him. That was until Norwich.
The previous match was a 2-2 draw with Derby, in which Bishop had missed a first-half penalty. However, he opened the scoring for the Blues just 15 minutes into their Norwich trip as he went on to register the perfect hat-trick.
A header, a right-footed penalty and a left-footed finish from Josh Murphy’s pass earned a precious treble, with Bishop marking the feat by picking up the match ball and kissing it during celebrations.
Pompey ran out 5-3 winners - with Bishop once again at the heart of it on the way to becoming their top scorer for a third successive season.
8) Pompey’s First Championship Win In 12 years (October 2024)
The League One champions headed to fellow strugglers QPR having failed to register victory in 10 matches in all competitions, with belief understandably starting to wane among some of the Fratton faithful.
Indeed, aside from pre-season fixtures against non-league sides, the Pompey faithful had been unable to celebrate even a friendly victory since April 27.
However, they finally got off the mark in the Championship with a Callum Lang-inspired 2-1 victory, albeit unable to lift them from second from bottom.
And how those buoyant travelling 1,744 supporters sang and danced long after the final whistle, including lingering to serenade the substitutes going through their customary post-match training routine.
7) Portsmouth Winning 5-3 at Norwich (April 2025)
Pompey headed to Carrow Road with the second-worst away record in the Championship following 16 defeats in 22 previous games. Following Luton’s win at Derby in the early kick-off, how they needed a win. Albeit a hugely unlikely one.
As it turned out, a sizeable number of Norwich fans were heading for the exits after 51 minutes, disgusted over their side falling 4-1 behind against the strugglers.
Colby Bishop’s hat-trick and Matt Ritchie’s finish had put Mousinho’s on the path to a remarkable victory which kickstarted their successful survival battle after three matches without a win.
Pompey won the following match against Watford at Fratton Park - and were safe.
6) Alan Knight’s Charity Game (May 2025)
Having been diagnosed with prostate cancer in October 2024, the Legend opted to make his fight public in a bid to raise awareness. Likewise, he oversaw the organisation of an end-of-season match with all profits to be divided between three worthy charities.
An impressive crowd of 6,012 turned out for an 8-8 draw which saw Brett Pitman score five times, Matt Le Tissier perform as the pantomime villain and Mousinho in playing action for the Blues.
There was a truly touching moment at half-time when both teams formed a guard of honour as Knightsie entered the pitch with his grandchildren to be surprised by the announcement he would be handed the Freedom of the City.
‘It has been a great, great day and, I must admit, I did have a tear in my eye at half-time. That was a really nice touch from the club and the Lord Mayor with the presentation.’
5) Pompey Ending Leeds’ 16-Game Unbeaten Record (March 2025)
Leeds strode into Fratton Park expecting to tighten their grip on the Championship title following 16 league games unbeaten - with the Sky cameras present to capture the occasion.
Instead, Pompey served up an almighty shock, with Bishop’s second-half goal earning them a 1-0 triumph in their finest display since returning to the Championship.
Indeed, victory lifted the Blues 10 points clear of the relegation zone with 10 games remaining, not that the rest of the season was particularly straightforward in the survival fight.
Still, it was a special occasion and a wonderful atmosphere as Fratton Park rejoiced in capturing a famous scalp.
4) Rob Atkinson’s Dramatic Second Goal Against Derby (April 2025)
Pompey were facing a 2-1 home defeat to relegation rivals Derby, to plunge themselves closer towards League One - then Rob Atkinson intervened.
Following seven weeks sidelined by a calf injury, the Bristol City loanee’s comeback game was marred by his own goal cancelling out his equaliser. If that wasn’t painful enough, he was also suffering from a chest infection and stomach bug.
During the dying stages, Atkinson was thrown up front, partly as an emergency centre-forward but also considering he was struggling to move at the back.
Then, on 91 minutes, he met Nicolas Schmid’s long kick with a flicked header which found the net for a dramatic equaliser to make it 2-2 - and prevent Derby leapfrogging above Pompey in the table.
Atkinson was visibly shivering and shaking as he conducted the post-match interviews, before going back home to bed. It had been quite a day.
3) John Mousinho’s Celebrations Against Watford (April 2025)
The head coach avoids getting embroiled in overexuberant celebrations with Pompey’s supporters, normally preferring to applaud them in a dignified and controlled manner after the final whistle.
However, when the situation dictates, such as winning the League One title, at Lincoln on the final day of last season and, of course, Watford, his composure disappears.
He had been paired with Rich Hughes at Fratton Park in January 2023, with Pompey 15th in League One. Just 27 months later, the club had booked a second successive season in the Championship.
That was clinched following a 1-0 victory over Watford - the Blues’ second win over the Easter programme. Remarkably, they had stayed up with two matches remaining.
2) Portsmouth’s Long-Awaited Championship Return At Leeds (August 2024)
Pompey emerged from their banishment to the basement, eyes blinking as they readjusted to dazzling Championship sunlight. The 12-year exile was over - and what a fitting opening match.
A buoyant Leeds crowd of 36,432 represented the second-biggest league attendance involving the Blues since April 2010, when at Everton in the Premier League. Irrespective of the outcome, the day which marked their Championship return would always be special.
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As it turned out, the match itself was an absolute cracker, with Mousinho’s men claiming a 3-3 draw. They could have lost, they could have won, instead they were delighted with a point considering the circumstances.
Elias Sorensen’s debut goal, Callum Lang’s two goals plus the unveiling of a new celebration, it was a truly memorable occasion. Pompey were back.
1) Colby Bishop’s Dramatic Portsmouth Return (November 2024)
As the annual Portsmouth Supporters’ Club meeting demonstrated days before the visit of Preston, there was growing unrest towards owners Tornante and the recruitment policy.
Bottom of the Championship and with one win from 15 games in all competitions, how the Blues needed a hero - enter Colby Bishop.
Just three months and two days following heart surgery which left the 28-year-old fearing his playing career was over, he returned to competitive action in a Pompey shirt, much to the surprise of everyone outside the dressing room.
Fittingly, Bishop capped his comeback by coming off the bench to convert an 89th-minute penalty in a 3-1 victory, thereby sealing only a second win of the campaign for the strugglers.
As the joyous striker raced towards the corner of the South Stand where wife Annabel and baby daughter Camilla were situated, it was clear we were privy to a special moment now forever lodged in Pompey folklore.