Whittingham: Do it for the fans

Guy Whittingham called on Pompey to put the smile back on fans' faces as uncertainty around the club's future continues.

The Blues caretaker boss is demanding his team show their resolve as they prepare to face Preston tomorrow.

Frustrations are mounting as a High Court case over the valuation of Fratton Park – between administrators PKF and former Blues owners Portpin – rumbles on and the fight for Pompey’s survival continues.

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The Pompey Supporters’ Trust’s bid to seal a deal for ownership of the club hangs on the outcome of events in central London.

The hope was that would be resolved by this weekend – but that now looks far from certain.

Whittingham knows the situation is causing unrest among the Fratton faithful.

But he feels Pompey have a chance to lift spirits by delivering on the pitch for the visit of Preston.

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And he is calling on his players to echo the fighting spirit of supporters and throw off the shackles to deliver a timely pick-me-up.

Whittingham said: ‘It’s not just frustrating for me.

‘It’s all the staff, players and no group are more frustrated than the fans.

‘They’ve stood by this club for such a long time and through so many hardships.

‘They’ve got another one now to deal with.

‘We’ll take it, get back up and keep going – and I know they will do as well.

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‘The staff here have gone through a lot. I’m talking about the staff at the club as a whole. They have that same fight the fans do.

‘We will take this latest setback on the chin and crack on.

‘We are out to win games for them. One thing is a given – the players have to give everything to do that.

‘Results have picked up and the fans are fantastic, so it’s not bleak. It’s just a case of making sure we do the best we can in the circumstances.

‘For 90 minutes (tomorrow) we have a chance to release ourselves and go for it.’

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Whittingham admitted the fact the wait for Pompey to exit administration still looks a distance from being sorted, continues a familiar feeling among all associated with the club. He said: ‘I’m like everyone else. You think you are getting to the end game and hoping things might change quite quickly.

‘But it’s Portsmouth Football Club. These things happen, as we know.

‘We just have to prepare for the Preston game mentally and physically, no matter what comes along.

‘It’s confusing because everyone is saying we’re going to court and by this weekend we’ll all know where we are.

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‘The goalposts have been shifted and we don’t know where are. But we’re here to win games, first and foremost.

‘We’ll being going all out to do that.

‘We look to the game. We’re in football for that competition. That’s where we want to be.’