Portsmouth CEO's message to Fratton faithful after 'challenging' Championship start and with Burnley and Sheffield United next on agenda
Andy Cullen has warmly embraced the challenges that Championship football has presented Pompey in the opening weeks of the season.
The Blues chief executive also insisted the hard work that has got them there and provided a clear pathway for progress in recent years will continue in their new surroundings, with the club fully focused on delivering further success to the fans.
Since making their return to the second tier of English football, Pompey have learnt quickly the magnitude of the task that faces them each week in the Championship.
A season-opener at Leeds - who were last season’s beaten play-off finalists and this term’s pre-campaign favourites for promotion - was quickly followed by the visit of recently relegated Premier League side Luton to Fratton Park.
A trip to promotion hopefuls Middlesbrough came after that, before both Sunderland and West Brom - two teams expected to be challenging at the top end of the table at the end of the season - headed to the south coast.
It’s a tough start that has produced three draws, two defeats and, most importantly, no wins. And with Burnley (A) and Sheffield United (H) next on the agenda, two teams who were also in the top flight last season, things will continue to get harder before they get any easier for John Mousinho’s side.
That won’t stop the Fratton faithful from getting behind their side and sticking by their team, though - with these sort of games something they all looked forward to once promotion from League One was secured.
And it won’t allow Pompey to become too disheartened by their start to life in an exciting new era for all involved in the club. Quite the opposite, in fact, according to Cullen in his programme notes ahead of the West Brom game.
Speaking about those challenges and a commitment to taking the club further, he said: ‘Our next two fixtures see us come up against two of the clubs relegated from the Premier League last season. We travel to Burnley on Saturday and then the week after, we are back here to face Sheffield United.
‘We really appreciate your support and encouragement to what has been a challenging set of fixtures to start the campaign.
‘It is, of course, a challenge we were relishing from the moment we won promotion and we will all continue to deliver our best to create the conditions for success to further develop and progress your football club.’