At the same time, we also wondered what former Fratton Park players the club should never have signed? And, here, we produce the results following an overwhelming response.
In fairness, one man's Lee Chapman is another's Paul Merson, so the names put forward via Facebook are entirely subjective. Neverthless, here's the most consisent names that were mentioned when we asked 'what signings should Pompey have stayed well away from?'
Note: The players included are listed in no particular order.
21. Lee Chapman
The striker was signed from Leeds in 1993 for £250,000. Speaking in Played Up Pompey, Paul Walsh said of Chapman - who was signed to be Guy Whittingham's replacement: 'I couldn’t play with him. You want a big lump to stay as high up the pitch as possible so you can hit him and play off him, but Chapman thought he could play and would attempt to get the ball. The drawback was he was hopeless in possession. Understanding what he was trying to do was a problem. Normally you find a solution, but the relationship just wasn’t there and Jim Smith moved him on to West Ham after six weeks, six appearances and two goals.' Photo: Michael Cooper
22. Sol Campbell
Despite leading Pompey to FA Cup glory and their highest-ever Premier League finish after arriving on a free transfer from Arsenal in 2006, some fans clearly never warmed to the defender, who's name kept copping up on our Facebook page. | Getty Images
23. Laurent Robert
Robert’s Fratton Park arrival was understandably greeted with much fanfare, yet it yielded just 17 matches and one goal. He was sent back to Newcastle halfway through a scheduled 12-month loan. Speaking to The Athletic in 2019, the Frenchman said: “When he (Graeme Souness) told me to move, I really wanted to stay in Newcastle because to go to Portsmouth at this time, after Newcastle, was not a good move." | Getty Images
24. Rory Allen
Poor, old Rory Allen. Pompey's first £1m signing proved to be injury prone and disappeared from the club to watch the Ashes in Australia. Photo: The News