Amazing. It could be said that we only became confirmed top of the table - and hence champions- for the first time in the season after the final whistle of the final game (ie at the end of the Doncaster game) I wonder if a team has ever become top of the table before, for the first time in the season, after they had completed their fixtures!! I have to say I have been a Paul Cook doubter from time to time but this was incredible. So good that he has kept the team motivated after they were assured of promotion.
Where did you post this from, on the Road to Mecca? Have a look about 15 seconds before the end, the chief steward dressed in a bright orange hi viz, gets tripped up by a naughty Pompey fan
I wish I'd been to more games this season. I only went to two, at the beginning and right at the end of the season, it kind of feels like... I didn't contribute to this success and like other people have more reason to celebrate than I do because I wasn't really part of it. Though living 300+ miles from Portsmouth didn't help.
Ha. To be fair I think he genuinely slipped. Yellow card only. Reminds me of when one of ours ran out the Kingsland to celebrate 2 minutes before we went up from League 1. He nearly kicked the ball, hugged Rickie Lambert then ran back into the crowd, but because he was wearing a Saints shirt the ref was so confused he just played on.
Great afternoon over on Southsea Common today, with skipper Michael Doyle holding the League Two trophy. please log in to view this image
I didn't realise that second place teams were presented with a trophy..............This is a picture from the Plymouth Herald of Argyle's open top bus parade. please log in to view this image
They picked them up as they went along and they are all on the lower deck of the bus eating a free pasty.... The picture is taken at the back end of the Civic Centre in Plymouth. The crowd would have been in the front of the building waiting for the team to get on the balcony above the mayor's rooms. I am guessing there was a crowd and where it was as I was away on Monday so wasn't there myself. Usually there are a few hundred outside the ground where it starts and then only a few on the route into the City Centre. A thousand or two are then lining the main street in the middle of town and move on to the mayor's gaff when the bus has passed. Hence nobody in the picture. The timing of this "parade" was quite poor this time and Janners don't do mass lining of streets anyway. Incidentally I don't see the point in a cup for second place either. I know we haven't got a bulging locker full of them but it is a bit naff.
I have to agree there mate, I was suprised when I saw we got one when we went up from League 1. Is it not a relatively recent thing because people asked why p/o winners got a trophy when the better team over the season who got automatic didn't? On another note, I was kind of suprised you lot had an open tour bus for this season... I'd kind of understand more if you had won it or it had been a promotion from L1/Championship. But you're certainly not a 4th tier club in my eyes and it's kinda expected for you to go up, so I didn't think you would do that just for a promotion from the 4th tier. You will clearly know more than me though so will bow down to your knowledge if I have it wrong
I'm not sure I agree with the "you are not a 4th tier club" thing to be honest. Nobody deserves to be anywhere higher than they are unless they have earnt a promotion. Either poor management of the club or performances dictate which league you play in and nobody is too big or too small to be in any position as far as I'm concerned. Some clubs perhaps you would be surprised at if they fell due to finances mainly but that's about it. I also think a number of teams have expected to go up themselves only to discover that this league is as hard as any other to get out of. Perhaps even harder when you consider the budgets to be worked with and the more equal starting point they have. Just ask Portsmouth about the ease "bigger" clubs have in this league. I think it isn't out of order to suggest they thought they would bounce immediately only to find it was a lot harder than they thought. I'm not sure when this second place have a cup thing came in. I don't think the third team get one so there is still one missing. I've never quite understood why the play off winner gets one either. Apart from something to run about with on the day for the fans to cheer. My opinion is only the Champions should have a trophy. As for open top parades I don't see why they can't have one in the bottom division and it is just as deserved in that league as any other. You have to remember that the players who earned it are players of that leagues standard and will never play in the top league so therefore will never get a chance to swagger in front of adoring fans if only the big boys did it.