Upbeat Cook wants Pompey unity

The fourth-placed Blues lie five points short of the top three as they head into a potentially pivotal festive period.

Hartlepool visit Fratton Park on Saturday, stinging from a 5-0 hammering on home turf by Cambridge United.

As for Pompey, it is essential they build on their encouraging Grimsby victory, particularly following so many false dawns.

Fratton will once again attract a crowd unmatched in League Two.

And Cook is eager for a united front both on and off the pitch.

He said: ‘There is such a long way to go, so many points to be played for, and everyone being together will get you there a lot quicker.

‘My outcome as Pompey manager will be deemed on results.

‘Getting everyone to support you towards those results will not change the result, it will only help me get the result.

‘That is all you ask. We have a good group of players who care, they really do care, they train hard and give it everything.

‘The reason why Portsmouth Football Club are in this division is not because of this group of players, so if people ever want to vent frustration cast your mind back to the people who put you here and start emailing them.

‘Get behind this group, get behind these lads and drive us on.

‘We have a calibre of player which is top class, our board have done fantastic.

‘Some people have criticised those running the club but our chairman and board have done everything in their power every day to deliver success for our supporters.’