After a 12-year Championship exile, Portsmouth are back - unrecognisable, but still with the 'World's Best Fans'
Marko Futacs and Chris Maguire tied the banner to the City Ground goal, one final act of glorious defiance.
Tossed onto the pitch from the visiting section as Pompey’s players applauded their fans in the match’s aftermath, the paired seized the opportunity to demonstrate their solidarity.
A 2-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest signalled the Blues’ relegation from the Championship, an occasion marked by travelling supporters attending as Postman Pat, Smurfs, the Mario Bros, Scooby Doo, Austin Powers, and Robin Hood and his Merry Men.
And, to cap an emotional day, a large white sheet declaring ‘For Sale, World’s Best Fans Come Free!’ was now hanging from a goal.
Pompey have never played in the Championship since, but that agonising wait ends on Saturday - more than 12 years later.
They departed the division mired in financial chaos, a club in administration for the second time in two years, an owner arrested on charges of fraud, a club fighting off HMRC winding-up petitions, and, finally, relegated following a 10-point deduction.
That ignominious April 2012 exit didn’t even represent their lowest point, worse was to be inflicted, including a High Court battle to avoid liquidation and a relegation fight to remain in the Football League.
Yet Pompey return a club unrecognisable. Debt-free, Fratton Park redeveloped and owning their own training ground, while clutching fresh silverware including the League One and League Two titles and Checkatrade Trophy.
There are those among their number who sneered at Pompey’s Supporters’ Trust occupying the boardroom, there are some who will never, ever accept Michael Eisner and his family, yet both ownerships have transformed a 126-year-old football club which once faced oblivion.
Elland Road is a cruel opening match, the curtain-raiser nobody at Pompey would have wanted, despite requesting for the first fixture to be away to allow Fratton Park improvements.
Nonetheless, a ground of such magnitude and a club possessing such illustrious history offers a fitting guard of honour into the Championship.
Realistically, what lies ahead for the Blues is a relegation battle. None of this nonsense about emulating an Ipswich side with an eye-watering playing budget and the ability to capture multiple £1m performers.
Invariably, John Mousinho will be glancing a little higher up the league, a club must still possess ambition and strive to evolve, hence what has, at times, been a brutal clear-out of a title-winning squad.
Yet 21st spot in the Championship would represent a pivotal first step at a level and financial landscape clearly a world apart from when last occupied by Pompey.
During an agonising exile, the Blues existed as the big fish in a small pond, regularly topping the attendance charts and able to lure outstanding lower-league performers coveted by many.
‘You’re not famous any more’ the opposition support gloated, yet how they feared coming to Fratton Park, resorting to packing penalty areas and sacrificing attacking principles in favour of self-preservation. Then staging cup final-esque celebrations should a point be secured. Each to their own.
The Fratton Fortress remains intact for the Championship, of course, and how crucial that magnificent home support will be, arguably the biggest strength, but now the Blues are the league’s underdogs rather than top dogs.
It may be difficult to stomach, but it will take time to readjust to surroundings unexplored for more than a decade, in particular establishing a calibre of squad capable of performing consistently at this level.
Some members of the League One champions will rise to the challenge, flourishing after taking the step up, others will find it beyond their capabilities. At this stage, we do not truly know who will cope.
There have been summer additions, nine in total, with the likes of Jordan Williams, Josh Murphy, Andre Dozzell, Sammy Silvera, Jordan Archer and Matt Ritchie boasting plenty of Championship experience.
In the case of Ritchie, it’s an emotional homecoming performed with impeccable timing to reinvigorate a fanbase rightly becoming concerned over how squad strengthening was faring and being unable to tempt an Alex Robertson reunion.
Regardless, Pompey are still short in the centre of midfield and in central defence, while they are challenged with coping without the talismanic Colby Bishop for the foreseeable future, entrusting Elias Sorensen with Kusini Yengi in filling the goal gulf.
In truth, this squad is far from the finished product, with the transfer window closing at the end of August and naturally teams evolving through a campaign, take Conor Shaughnessy not starting the opening game against Bristol Rovers as a fine example.
A generation of Pompey followers have never watched their team in the Championship. At Elland Road on Saturday, that wait is finally over - the ‘World’s Best Fans’ are back.