Football News Update: Portsmouth’s Push for Championship Stability
After an impressive League One title-winning campaign, Portsmouth are looking to solidify their position in the Championship for the 2024/25 season. Manager John Mousinho will need his current squad to step up, while also seeking to bring in new arrivals through the transfer window.
The gulf in class between the third and second tiers is notable, but Portsmouth can take inspiration from the likes of Sunderland, who earned a Championship play-off spot in 2023 after gaining promotion from League One the previous year. Another example is Ipswich Town, who achieved the remarkable feat of back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League last season.
“While Pompey cannot realistically hope to emulate Ipswich’s almost unfathomable achievement, they can draw motivation from the Tractor Boys’ success as they aim to produce strong performances in the Championship.”
One player in particular who could be encouraged by Ipswich’s exploits is left-back Jack Sparkes, who can view Leif Davis’ heroics as evidence that he can make a similar impact at the higher level. Davis played a vital role in Ipswich’s back-to-back promotion, providing 14 assists in League One and 18 in the Championship. While Sparkes may not be as productive as Davis, he is an exciting attacking player who contributed six assists towards Portsmouth’s League One title triumph and eight across all competitions. If he can improve his productivity at a similar rate to Davis and provide double-digit assists, Pompey could secure a top-half finish, which would be an impressive feat for a newly-promoted side with a young manager.
Furthermore, Pompey will also hope that striker Colby Bishop can step up and deliver the goals that could solidify the club’s second-tier status. The 27-year-old scored 21 goals in League One last season, and if he can maintain that level of productivity in the Championship, Portsmouth shouldn’t face any serious relegation concerns.
As Bishop nears the peak of his career and with Sparkes potentially thriving in the second tier, Portsmouth may find themselves battling in the top half of the table and perhaps even higher in the 2024/25 Championship season.
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