Soak up the Portsmouth positivity - now it’s time to deliver on ambitions this season

So Thursday night was a time of wonder, a time of awe: behold a jubilant Twitter.

Exultant Pompey fans saluted what was being heralded as the best transfer window in years from their football club, who sit atop of that formative League One table.

Normally deadline day business has a disproportionate impact on the general mood of supporters against the rest of a period of trading.

So when Danny Cowley went into the final day of activity looking for three players and landed one, it would’ve been no surprise to hear some dissenting voices.

They were nowhere to be seen.

Instead, it was that peculiar and infrequent outbreak of wall-to-wall positivity. And what a response it was.

Whereas the close of business on the past two deadline days were greeted with discontent which gathered in volume, the late, late signing of Josh Koroma was saluted as the crowning glory on one of the best transfer windows seen around these parts in years.

Pompey fans praised the Eisners, even those who’ve steadfastly refused to acknowledge their positive contributions to the club in the past.

The diligent and unrelenting work of Cowley was saluted with his Fratton stock at a high, those early mornings and late nights stuck to the phone paying off in 12 signings who give his squad depth and quality not seen in recent seasons.

Even neutrals were proclaiming Pompey’s recruitment among the most impressive seen in English football.

And to think it was only 12 weeks ago chief executive Andy Cullen had been the victim of a social media pile on, after a warning about not announcing deals before the window opens had been misinterpreted as June 10 being the day business would be confirmed at PO4.

In their absence, it made for a rough couple of weeks as anger grew and vitriol flew in the face of the club’s hierarchy.

The announcement of the return of the prodigal son in Marlon Pack saw the noise abate, but the chuntering was again audible with 12 days until Arsenal’s Zak Swanson was the next through the door.

Pompey were clearly light on bodies, however, without a senior striker at the club as they departed on their Spanish training camp.

Joe Rafferty’s arrival was catalyst for seven signings in 16 days, however, with Dane Scarlett, Joe Pigott and that Colby Bishop saga, which initially stirred the kind of anger reserved for a barren window of business, reaching a successful conclusion.

So here we are, fans happy with business and how things are going on the pitch. Strange days...

Of course, though there will be a few rightfully enjoying the moment, most are keeping things in context. At this stage, anyway...

After presentable fixtures to open the campaign, stiffer challenges are now here in the shape of the next two games against Peterborough and Barnsley - with more on the horizon.

Although he denies it was specific to Pompey, Cowley has spoken about three transfer windows being the perceived norm to get a squad in a boss’ image. We are now at that point in his Blues stewardship.

Even in the light of feelgood factor around Fratton, the top six should remain the target for now with some powerful foes to compete with. It’s time to make that happen.