Alan Ball hangs on for Portsmouth win – just like his teams back in the day

But in true, gritty Alan Ball style the little man in the flat cap hung on for victory – just as his teams did so often back in the day.

If you saw last week’s countdown from 10 to four, you’ll have worked out which three ex-Fratton bosses had made the top three.

At the start of voting a couple of months ago it was neck and neck between Bally and Jim Smith at the top, then support for the Bald Eagle fell away and Redknapp – the man it seems Blues fans either love or hate – threatened to snatch victory.

In the end Smith finished third and Redknapp was a very close second behind Bally. And it struck me as so sad that two of those top three – along with Bobby Campbell, who featured in the top 10, are no longer around to know the high regard in which they are still held.

I shall feature many of your comments about Bally in next week’s column but for now here is a small flavour of what people said about the top three.

Gary Martin voted for Smith despite finding it hard to discount two others.

He wrote: ‘Redknapp can’t be disputed for achievement, Cook had his haters but I enjoyed every minute. But it has to be Smith: gritty, sometimes grumpy, a great team and captured my early teens! ‘Eagle, Eagle’.’

And I liked this from Wayne Fry: ‘Harry Redknapp for me. He gave us promotion, the FA Cup and an exciting style of play.

‘I couldn't argue with anyone that votes for Ball or Smith because we had great times under their leadership too. May they both rest in peace.’

Don't miss next week for a round-up of your comments about our winner. ​​