Meet the opposition | Portsmouth
As Swansea City prepare to host Portsmouth, we take a closer look at Pompey.
What’s their story?
Portsmouth were formed in 1898 and enjoyed early success in the Southern and Western Leagues before becoming founder members of the Football League Third Division in 1920.
They soon climbed the ranks, reaching the FA Cup final in 1929 and were winners in 1939. Post-war they were back-to-back top-flight champions in 1949 and 1950.
A tougher period followed after relegation from the top tier in 1959 but, after a return for a solitary season in 1987-88, they become regulars in the second tier and would go on to enjoy great success after securing promotion to the Premier League under Harry Redknapp in 2003.
Pompey went on to spend seven years in the division, claiming a best finish of ninth and winning the FA Cup by beating Cardiff in the 2008 final.
They lost another final to Chelsea in 2010 but, with the club experiencing financial difficulties, they were relegated after being deducted nine points for going into administration.
Further financial woes followed and by the summer of 2013 they were in League Two, although the purchase of the club by the Pompey Supporters’ Trust did provide some reason for optimism.
They would get to League One under Paul Cook in 2017 and, after a number of near misses, returned to the Championship this summer as they claimed the title under John Mousinho.
How’s their form?
Portsmouth have just two league wins to their name so far this season, with the latter of those coming against Preston North End in the last game they played.
Their other victory was at Queens Park Rangers, which accounts for three of the six points they have accrued on their travels.
The south-coast club currently sit in the relegation zone, and have not played in three weeks after seeing games against Blackburn and Millwall postponed.
Who’s the gaffer?
John Mousinho was appointed Portsmouth boss in January 2023, taking on his first senior managerial role, and led Pompey to within sight of the play-offs over the remainder of the season.
They carried that momentum into last term and went on to secure the League One title and a return to the Championship.
Mousinho had an 18-year playing career that including spells with Brentford, Wycombe Wanderers, Stevenage, Preston North End, Burton Albion and Oxford United. He helped Stevenage and Burton Albion to promotions and was holding a player-coach role with Oxford when he was handed the reins at Fratton Park.
Who’s the captain?
Experienced midfielder Marlon Pack is in his third season back with the club where he started his career.
A product of the Pompey academy, Park made a solitary league appearance for them – while also having loan spells with Wycombe, Dagenham & Redbridge and Cheltenham Town.
A permanent move to the latter followed in 2011 and two years later he was snapped up by Bristol City.
Across six seasons at Ashton Gate, Pack helped the Robins secure promotion to the Championship, EFL Trophy success and reach the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup.
He joined Cardiff in 2019, reaching the play-offs in 2020, but went on to leave at the end of his contract in 2022.
That led to his return to Fratton Park, and he skippered Pompey to the title and promotion last season, producing an outstanding series of performances that saw him named in the League One team of the year and named the club’s player of the season.
Who are the key men?
Forward Callum Lang is in his first full season with Pompey having joined for an undisclosed fee from Wigan Athletic in January of this year.
He netted four goals as they secured promotion, and he has three goals to his name so far this term.
Having spent times on the books of Liverpool as a youngster, Lang moved on to Wigan and came through the ranks to become a first-team regular for the Latics.
He had productive loan spells with Morecambe, Oldham, Shrewsbury and Motherwell as he progressed, and ended up scoring 31 goals in 142 outings for Wigan before his move to the south-coast.
After helping Oxford United get to the Championship via the play-offs, experienced winger Murphy elected to join fellow Championship newcomers Portsmouth over the summer.
The twin brother of Newcastle winger Jacob, Murphy started his career with Norwich City, coming through the academy to reach senior level and feature in the Premier League.
He also had loan spells with Wigan Athletic and MK Dons before Cardiff paid £11million to secure his services ahead of the 2018-19 Premier League season.
Initially a regular for the Bluebirds, he eventually fell out of favour following a series of managerial changes and spent the 2021-22 season on loan with Preston before joining Oxford.
He was an important figure in the U’s promotion tilt, and his knowledge of the Championship will be an asset to Pompey.
Tottenham academy product Connor Ogilvie put pen to paper on a new two-year contract at Fratton Park in the summer.
Ogilvie never managed to make a first-team appearance for Spurs and had loan spells with Stevenage and Gillingham – featuring against the Swans in the FA Cup in 2019 for the Gills - before making a permanent move to the Kent club later that year.
He was named player of the season for the following campaign and moved to Portsmouth in 2021 after turning down a new contract.
Ogilvie has since made 131 appearances for Pompey and been the model of defensive consistency.