I'm a Southampton fan but I took no pleasure in what happened to Portsmouth. I wouldn't wish what happened to them on any football club.

As someone who lives in Portsmouth and was around during this whole period. It was one of those too good to be true time periods where they seemed to keep signing top English players for the time when you had to ask how they could possibly afford not just the fees but the wages. Even then very few at the time were asking questions as after promotion to the Premier League as things were always looking up. Milan Mandaric's selling the club was the moment things got out of control as from that point on from the spending to constant promises of redevelopment of the stadium or building a new one who then proceeded to sell the club to a guy who pretty much pulled the wool over everyone's eyes including the Premier League. Lets face it all everyone ever thought when they seen it was the same guy that played a huge part in the Man City deal was that he must have money and it will be good for the league as a whole. If anything the Premier League is just as much responsible for allowing this as anyone something that made the future of the club suffer for many years later.

Still hoping for a "What on Earth is Going on at Sunderland? I saw you sneak Ricky Alvarez and Jack Rodwell into the intro of the "Restrictive Transfer Policy" video. I love these type of videos you do and I think we are definitely worth a deep dive given the ineptitude on show over the years. Sunderland til I die showed our relegation to league one and failed attempt to get promoted back to the Championship, but a detailed look at the Premier League years before our relegation would be great, also looking at how things went after STID. The amount of bad luck and awful decisions and from board level down to the pitch is staggering. In the Ellis Short era, and then the Stewart Donald era. And now we are owned by a 24 year old heir to a billionaires fortune whose father owned Marseille. -England losing against Iceland essentially resulting in us losing Allardyce, a great manager for us at the time, only for him to be sacked by England after 1 game. -At one point having the 6th highest wage bill in the Premier League with nothing really to show for it. -The purchase of Ricky Alvarez, not playing him, trying to back out of signing him, losing a lawsuit to Inter Milan and still suffering financial implications to this day. -Signing the appalling Jack Rodwell and being financially crippled for years again -Playing Adam Johnson when the execs knew he was under investigation for sexual activity with a child. -Signing Emmanuel Eboue, announcing him, then terminating his contract 3 weeks later as he was banned for all football activities for failing to pay an agent. -Well known drinking culture among players, general poor professionalism. -Darron Gibson getting arrested for drink driving after a car crash. Gibson also filmed on social media off his tits bad mouthing the team and manager whilst still a player. -Losing our top scorer in League 1 in January -Buying Will Grigg for 3 million pounds in League 1 because the owner at the time wanted to look like a big shot and then going on to be a Rodwellesque flop. -Losing twice at Wembley in League 1 including in the playoff final in the 95th minute. -Missing out on the playoffs after the season was cancelled due to COVID -Losing again in the playoffs last season. -Losing our top scorer last season to Wigan for nothing -Losing our club captain last season to Wigan for nothing

I remember the time when Portmouth had some ambitious transfer window, with having people coaches Harry Redknapp, and players like Sol Campbell and Jermain Defoe, all of them to sign for a club that was promoted just a while before that. Another brilliant video from HITC and Alfie ⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽

Portmouth FC is a cautionary tale of confidence tricksters after confidence tricksters trying to obtain football clubs only to asset strip them, turn a quick buck and flee with the money. Absolutely shocking what all the conmen did to this famous old football club. No football fan deserves this. I sincerely hope Portsmouth rise up from the ashes one day.

When Pompey were promoted and then winning the league two title I cried with joy. As Ian Darke put it aptly, after such an awful time it was as if we'd been given the all clear from a horrible illness and celebrating that high after falling from the top league. It was also the final game under fan ownership and felt like a fitting ending after saving the club from the brink. (Did mean then Pompey had won all 4 professional leagues too)

I’m a Tottenham fan but I miss having Portsmouth in the Prem, they’re just a fun club… Pompey fans are such a passionate, “No One Likes Us, We Don’t Care” type of fanbase. Fratton Park is such an iconic stadium. The rivalry with Southampton makes for a great derby to watch as a neutral. Here’s hoping Pompey rise again ⭐️ 🌙 🔵

As a season ticket holder who grew up LIVING this, in constant fear of my club disappearing forever - this video is massively appreciated, and was unexpected. Cheers Alfie.

It still breaks my heart. I remember the betrayal of each sham owner like it was yesterday. Great vid! Research is thorough and it makes the muddy tidal waters quite clear.

I'm not a Pompey fan (to put it politely) but I think the chairman of the club in the rebuilding period, Iain McInnes, was worth a few minutes for the contribution he and others who were involved made toward that process. McInnes is now chairman at my local club Gosport Borough, effectively next door as far as non-local people are concerned, and he came in with the club in much the same situation as Portsmouth were. Somehow we survived the first season with a group of students, amateurs and Wessex League rejects, and several years later we're doing very well. I know you're meant to wish your rivals ill, and treat them like they're your enemy, but frankly as a Saints fan I just don't feel that way - don't get me wrong, it's not a friendly rivalry, but I take my hat off to all those involved in the revival of their club that means so much to them. They now have a model that all football clubs should imitate.

As a Portsmouth fan, this was definitely a video I was waiting for. I also attended the semi and final - bloody nervous before both games. Fun fact - aside from Fratton Park, I've been to the new Wembley more than any other stadium. Also, Appleton resigned I thought. I was gutted when he left.

I went to my first match in the same season we got promoted to the Premier League, it was a 3-0 win with Burton, Todorov and Merson scoring. I fell in love with the club that day. Specifically, when Merson floated a perfect pass from inside his own half, onto Todorov's chest on the corner of the opposition penalty box. I was 16 when we won the FA Cup. I only knew the halycon days of wild success. Promotion, survival, playing against Man Utd and Chelsea. Our downfall was utterly shocking to me. It still is, to be honest. We had a series of cartoonish villains as owners, we were let down by the league's fit and proper persons assessments, and we let our desire for glory overrule our common sense. I remember when we got relegated, before the PST bought the club, going to the last match of the season and wondering if the club would go under, if I'd ever again walk down from the train station to the ground, buy a program and a salmonella burger, and then be part of the best football atmosphere I've ever encountered. When the club was saved by the PST, it's difficult to put into words how much it meants to the fans. Now, we are starting to climb up again, but the slow going has some fans thinking (wrongly, IMHO) that we've fallen prey to another confidence huckstar with plans to bleed the club dry. I don't believe that myself, but I understand that fear. Having gone through that once, it's the biggest fear of any fan old enough to remember what it was like. Personally, I'm glad we finally have an owner who is trying to run the club in a sustainable way. We lived beyond our means for far too long.

As a pompey fan this was some of the best times of my life supporting supporting them... such a shame all of us knew nothing about what was going on and we were consolidating nicely in the top half back then, but that's how the cookie crumbles... were still much very alive and kicking 🙌

These documentaries are the reason why hitc sevens and Rabona tv are the best football channels

"Portsmouth" the name brings in so much nostalgia. I started following PL at that time. Crouch, Defoe, Muntari, remember all these names

The chaos at Pompey started years earlier.. At one point we sold the club to famously legit operator Terry Venables for $1.. That was the first in the cascade of crazy ownership with only Milan Mandaric looking like a genuine guy in that whole era

Please do a video on Wimbledon FC rise and fall and how their fall spawned two football clubs from one. Love 👊

I saw Portsmouth at MK Dons in League One over the weekend just gone and it still amazes me how quickly the Pompey house of cards collapsed, let alone some of the crazy stories mentioned here. It is extraordinary just how quickly it unravelled between 2008 and 2013 and some of the characters involved in the drama. Good film. Keep up the good work

3:17, more takeovers then an average F1 GP. I guess that in this day and age, that means a pretty stable ownership record.

I lived a 2 minute walk from Fratton Park for about a decade (which wasn't great for after Southampton games). I remember a lot of this at the time, it was a crazy time.

I honestly had no idea and thought Michael Eisner was going to be a joke. The irony of several conmen getting to own the club easily, yet the legendary CEO that transformed Disney into the mega Disney Corp era getting major due diligence against him, is still hilarious though. As a Man City fan I miss Portsmouth in the Premier League. We had such nightmares against that team, and as eternal underdogs for so long it was hard to deal with, as many of the top sides found out too. Play Up Pompey! Pompey Play Up! The club has an amazing set of fans that I hope to see making Premier League stadiums louder again in the near future. With the swings between them and rivals Southampton being so large in recent decades, a derby of this kind every season being added to the top flight would be very special too.

A great video about the rise and fall of Pompey. This is why I'm so thankful for Tornante and how the clubs been run now, PUP! 🔹️🔷️🔵💙

As a portsmouth fan, I would do it all again! Tough times followed the FA Cup win but to sit soulless in the Premier league like West Ham, Newcastle, Scum and Burnley is not what football is about. I would love a Premier League return but life outside brings back football and the match day experience back to its real fans. Great video and thank you for uncovering and stitching together the whole story!

As a Pompey fan, I want to say thank you to Alfie. It would have been so easy to put the boot in to a club that has been failed on sooooo many levels. From the Premier League(who let a convicted fraudster run the club on a technicality) to the Football League (who apparently couldnt find an international arrest warrent for Antonov) to Peter Storrie(who oversaw most of it). Pompey will be back where the supporters diserve at some point and I for one have a lot of trust in the current ownership, who have been so smart since taking charge. It may take time but it WILL happen.

"U-turning faster than Boris Johnson any time Marcus Rashford hits the tweet button" took me out hahahahah

Great recap of our vast troubles. AC Milan at Fratton Park is still the best atmosphere I have ever experienced in any game. Gives me goosebumps every time I think about that magical night. So putting the troubles aside, I'm still grateful I got to experience Pompey in Europe. Wolfsburg away was also very special.

I remember when we played Pompey at home in preseason 2008 and Harry Redknapp lifted the trophy up prematch and getting a standing ovation from us Bournemouth supporters because of his legendary status here at Dean Court.

Alfie you should do a “what the hell is going on at Ipswich town!” 20 years out of the top flight, several managers later, 2 takeovers and it’s only getting worse

This is wonderful. I've been a pompey fan since the early 90s, and watching all this chaos unfold was heartbreaking time and time again. There were times we thought our beloved club was going to be no more. Can you imagine the pain? We'll never forget what happened, but the healing process is going well. Play Up Pompey.

That was the year Rio Ferdinand went in goal against Portsmouth for a penalty

As a Coventry city fan, I think it'd be a good idea to make a video on the downfall of coventry city due to everything that happened after 36 years in the top flight. It would make an interesting video :)

Thanks for making these videos! I'm back watching football religiously again after nearly 15 years and showing my son the beautiful game. Your videos are directly responsible for rekindling my passion for football. Thank you 🤘

I'd love to see a video on the rise and fall of Blackburn rovers from the premier League title to their masses of debt they are now in

Another hit ! On an unrelated note, have you/will you make a vid on when the premier League went from 22 team's to the current format. Keep up the good work

Great video as always. Would love to see you make a doc on Wigan Athletic.

I'm loving these mini documentaries.

These are so interesting. I remember watching this all unfold and it’s great to get a proper breakdown on what happened. Love these documentaries

Literally love these videos! When I was starting at uni I almost went to portsmouth purely because I was looking to move far away and I thought I could try and catch a few games. My years at uni coincided with their downfall so thankfully I ended up at preston instead

1st rate. This is the stuff we can't get anywhere else; please keep it up mate! My idea, 7 best individual performances by players who only spent that one season in the top flight.

Strap in everyone, things are about to get Sheikhy

You really need to do a video on Coventry. We have certainly been through our fair share of horrendous of the field dealings

I am a Saints fan. I wish 2 things. That Pompey survive and more importantly that this horrid hatred for each other stops. It is nasty. Rivals yes...but it has become really nasty. We are Hampshire.

I managed to get hold of a copy of the list of creditors Pompey had when they went bust. I think the total was £120 million plus, including the local milkman. Quite how nobody ended up in jail is beyond me…

Brilliant! Thank you so much, it's so strange to live through these events but know so little about what's actually going on

I love these documentaries videos, they are extremely interesting. Keep making them, Matt the Norwich Fan.

Great video as ever. And considering this one is about my team. I admire and appreciate how detailed this is

I was watching a Premier League compilation earlier today and found myself wondering what happened to Portsmouth. Excellent timing.

I'm a lifelong pompey fan and the people in tge comments need fear not. I had a season ticket few years back, sold out every home game in league 2? Not every club can say the same, we've won every league, held the fa cup the longest and will never die! PUP!!

One of the best Channel out there you learn so much thank you HITC sevens

Hi Alfie, would be interesting to watch a video of the demise of Birmingham City fc. They were decent about 10 years ago but then they won the league cup and got relegated. great video as always.xxx

Crazy looking back on all that happened. Always thought that Gaydamak Snr was the main man behind the club, the guy with the cash. When the cash ran out it was time to jump ship. We went down quickly too and very nearly out of existence with the charlatans and free loaders that followed. Thanks to the fans and Mr Eisner we are coming back bit by bit. Nice clip thanks for posting.

Damn I had no idea how awful it was for Pompy.! I couldn't imagine that happening to my club, wishing you Pompey fans much success in the future and I personally can't wait to see you back in the Premier league 🙏🏼💙

As a Pompey fan who lived through this, thank you, great video and research

2006 era Pompey and Blackburn were two of my favourite childhood clubs, used to love Matty Taylor, Pedro Mendes and Gamst Pedersen

My father was a Pompey fan, but I'm glad he passed before all those shenanigans happened. So sad to see what happened, but I hope Portsmouth will continue to grow and one day grace the Premier League again, albeit in a better run fashion. Fun fact, Portsmouth held the F.A. Cup for the longest time unbeaten.............. courtesy of winning it in 1939, then no cup games until after WW2.

As a rugby fan I used to get annoyed that your channel kept getting recommend to me!! But you have one me over now l have subscribed and I'm almost falling back in love with Soccer!! Sorry couldn't resist that... Football!

19:50 Met him at Download Festival 2006. Portsmouth most famous supporter. Cool guy, we shared a beer and had a chat about the club.

Great video. Now do strangest transfer announcement videos/photos

Excellent journalism! Imagine if BBC had similar integrity and relentlessly dug out the truth, no matter what...

Day 12: every football league clubs greatest ever academy product

Can we get a ‘what on earth is going on at Nottingham Forest’? They’ve had 27 managers in 17 years!

Alfie can you do a video documenting the rise and fall of Oldham Athletic and how they managed to go from being founding members of the Premier League and having competed in the top-flight at recently as 1994 to now favourites to get relegated out of the Football League altogether here in 2021?

Great video. Should be broadcasted on tv say like C4. So other fans can understand and take a more interest into how their club is being. Look at Derby and it won't finish with them!

Love your videos, this is another good one.

The title "Sheikh" does not mean anything, some places it simply is a landowner.

Can you do a video on either Oldham, Rochdale or Wigan? The greater Manchester clubs have had a really hard go of it recently

top tier content as always alfie

these documentaries are awesome. i am begging you to do one on Rangers' liquidation in 2012

Great video I've used this to show fellow Pompey fans who moan about the current onwers not spending shed loads of money on players. Thank you for this. 👍

Appleton didn’t lose his job, he walked out on the club

Do one of Southend United FC and the club owner Ronald Martin. As Southend United were relegated last season after spending 101 years in the English Football League. And are now in Vanarama National League (Non-League).

Good fans at Pompey! They cheered the Arsenal off the pitch years ago after being 'well beaten'! Up Pompey!

Really like these videos, to see what is going on away from all the big names in English football is so interesting, thank you.

"And more takeovers than a Formula One Grand Prix" I felt that

It was a dark time the city really went down hill , Portsmouth is also the only city that is fundamentally linked to its football club when the club does well the city does well in literally every single sense and when it goes bad the city declines , it was known as the warning to football and ever since so many clubs are being subjected to careless and destructive owners and very little is being done about it , Pompey now have billionaire owners but they are being careful with money and tbh considering what the club went through its prob a smart idea for the owners to take the steady approach , Pompey have a rich history of achieving the impossible . English champions twice and fa cup winners twice but the club drops very low soon after it achieves against all odds glory but the fan base at the club is the reason it’s as strong as it is , the people say the club belongs to pompey not football and even at the darkest hour they still achieve the impossible the club had no rights to pull through but the fans made sure it did , I ain’t just proud to be a pompey fan cos of its history and one of the loudest and vocal atmospheres in Europe/world but how much the fans will go through and give to keep its club alive … it’s a naval and military town the people have a lot of heart , passion and grit

I can't believe you added the debt to Pukka Pies at the end. This is a good video on what happened! PUP!

Can you do a video about the Venkys and the fall of Blackburn Rovers? I am finding it hard to find anything on KZfaq about them.

Would you consider doing a Sunderland video? As a fan I would love to hear your take on the clubs running during our Premier League years and the eventual spiral.

Thank you for this, a lot of people believe that we were a club who just spent beyond their means however as you said it was a lot bigger than that.

I lived near by Fratton park and went regularly as a kid. I never really cared for football growing up but I am starting to really enjoy it, being a neutral the last few years. Pompey is a club I feel I should be following, even though now I live in Plymouth! Thanks for this video really informative- looking forward to visiting the old girl soon and supporting this club

Please do one of these about my club Forest. Might be a few hours long though😂

I’d love you to do one on Wigan although the sad truth is you could make one about most clubs in the lower football leagues. The EFL isn’t, and has never been, fit for purpose. They need to go

Hey Alfie Love the videos You should do a video of every continent's all time xi for example africa would have drogba and eto'o

The Belenenses - B-SAD split would be a great topic, especially with the possibility of this season both having a match on the Cup of Portugal.

I live in the Portsmouth area and this video is superb. Thanks 👍🏻

Could you make a video about your 7 best videos please?

You also do the reverse and tell the story of Brighton and Hove Albion, 1983-2017

Currently have this team back in the championship in fifa. From third tier to premier league champs in three season is the goal. Let’s go Pompey’s.👌

So interesting as both an F1 and football fan to see a reference in football videos of Formula 1

Alfie i can really see you as a perfect replacement for martin tyler, i think youd make a great commentator, is this something youve ever considered?

Could you do a video on Fc Vaduz and how it's basically impossible for them to qualify for the champions league (and Europa league)?

His documented name was sheikh yerbouti.

Another brilliant story, good job Alfie

It would be so good to see you do one on Brighton from nearly going bust in the 90’s to the premier league

Not many videos start off with a story of Everton winning silverware. I am on board

Recently discovered the channel and have been thoroughly enjoying your content and presentations.. Top stuff.. But this is my club!!! Be gentle😂😂

Can you do a video on Coventry City at some point?

And due to neglect and administrative period they are behind pretty much every club in facilities and stadium refurbishment and academy

Who is the team he mentions with Anzhi?

This season, back to the championship...