Gaffer For A Day: This is Portsmouth, never write us off. We love battling against the odds. We're magic
Gaffer For A Day, Alistair McNiff, aged 41 from Waterlooville, assesses Pompey’s 1-0 victory over Watford...
What a relief then!
It was a great performance considering the importance of the game. Not our best display at Fratton Park, it has to be said, but the players knew what was at stake and made sure they got that win.
Watford were a bit thuggish, there were a lot of fouls from them, it felt like they didn’t want to be there. Their season is over and it was just a bit flat. When teams come at us a bit and we have a little less possession, Pompey actually play their best football.
We definitely deserved the win and were the team looking to score. We should really have put the game out of sight within the opening 10-15 minutes of the second half.
Did you think staying up was ever possible?
There was a point after Christmas, after the 4-0 defeat at Derby. We weren’t dead and buried, but it looked like we weren’t going to win games.
Throughout all our season, the home crowd at Fortress Fratton, the 12th man, has really got us through.
There was a bit of apprehension whether we could do it, but this Pompey, you can never write us off, we are a magic team, we will pull things out of the hat. We love battling against the odds, we make things happen, especially at Fratton.
How do you assess John Mousinho’s performance as boss?
He has been phenomenal, I don’t think there is any other word which can be used. The guy has got us promoted in his first full season and now kept us there.
There have been points when we’ve all questioned substitutions, the transfer market and having one of the smallest budgets in the Championship - but we have to take our hats off to Mousinho and Rich Hughes.
We are competing with Premier League sides, we took four points off Leeds, including beating them at Fratton Park. As a city, as a group, we can’t thank John enough.
He has certainly got a rapport with the fans, which a few of the other managers have possibly lacked in the last couple of years. Mousinho has bought into the Pompey way a bit more.
Who was your man of the match?
Me and my son Reuben were in the South Stand and, for the first half, Matt Ritchie was on the wing in front of us. He was up and down and also the first man to create the press.
Vocally you hear him as well, communicating with some of the lads who maybe aren't as experienced and constantly talking to them through the game.
Towards the end, some players looked a bit nervous, and Ritchie was telling them to calm down, you could see his hand signals. It’s probably those little things which have helped us stay up this season.
Nicolas Schmid - 8
Jordan Williams (Terry Devlin - 6) - 8
Regan Poole - 8
Rob Atkinson - 8
Connor Ogilvie - 7
Freddie Potts - 7
Isaac Hayden - 7
Matt Ritchie - 9 - MOM
Adil Aouchiche (Christian Saydee - 7) - 6
Josh Murphy - 8
Colby Bishop - 8
Your next Pompey Read: Neil Allen's verdict - Not relegated. Period. Michael Eisner's bold prophesy is fulfilled