, What Next For League Two’s Sleeping Giant?

What Next For League Two’s Sleeping Giant?

After the departure of Andy Awford on Monday, Portsmouth now face a summer of upheaval with most of the squad out of contract and a new manager to find.

Since the fans’ took over in April 2013, Pompey have gone through three managers and are still in the Football League’s basement division. The next appointment is crucial if the South Coast side are to escape League Two. With the board wanting experience of promotion from the lower leagues, Phil Brown has emerged as the favourite alongside current caretaker manager Gary Waddock.

Guy Whittingham was given the job after the takeover but was sacked in the November of 2013 after a disappointing start to a campaign that was meant to be the start of Pompey’s revival.

The next man to take on the task of promoting Pompey was Richie Barker, but his defensive style of play led to both Portsmouth being on the verge of three relegations in three years and the former Crawley boss’ sacking.

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Club legend Awford was appointed as caretaker and saved the club from relegation, going unbeaten in eight games along the way. Chairman Iain McInnes gave the 42-year-old a one-year rolling contract as permanent boss but despite a good start to their second season in League Two, Portsmouth dropped away badly, with Awford coming within a whisker of being sacked in January.

However, a great run of results in February, including a 6-2 win against Cambridge, rescued “Awfs” and the tide seemed to turn. This was dispelled after a dreadful March and April and the board acted with Awford leaving after a year in charge.

For the time being Gary Waddock is in caretaker charge with Chief Executive Mark Catlin claiming there is “high interest” in what is possibly football’s biggest rebuilding mission. The target next year is promotion and Catlin told BBC Radio Solent:

“It’s already started, my phone has been pinging all day with people putting their CVs in. We’ll sit together with the board next week and arrive at a decision.”

There are a number of possible replacements for Awford with either Brown or former Peterborough United manager Darren Ferguson probably the best candidates for the job. Most Pompey fans are looking forward to the end of another easily forgotten season and the arrival of a manager who can hopefully bring the club back to where it belongs.

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