MX23RW : Thursday, April 25 06:24:02| >> :120:27208:27208:

On This Day: Portsmouth name Avram Grant as head coach

Avram Grant led Pompey to the FA Cup final but could not prevent relegation from the Premier League.

Avram Grant was named Portsmouth boss on this day in 2009, marking his return to management for the first time since Chelsea's Champions League final defeat to Manchester United.

Pompey decided to wield the axe on former youth-team coach Paul Hart, with the side rooted to the bottom of the Premier League having managed a meagre seven points from 13 matches.

Grant was swiftly made favourite to replace him, having only returned to Fratton Park for a second spell as director of football the previous month.

Portsmouth manager Avram Grant acknowledges the fans after collecting his runners up medal at the FA Cup final
Portsmouth manager Avram Grant acknowledges the fans after collecting his runners up medal at the FA Cup final (Nick Potts/PA)

It was a far cry from his last managerial role and his reign started with a 4-1 home defeat to Manchester United, who he had lost to 18 months earlier when a John Terry slip saw the European crown fall out of their grasp.

Grant's Premier League campaign did not improve much after that during a topsy-turvy time in the dugout.

Portsmouth fans hold up a sign which asks manager Avram Grant to stay at the club
Portsmouth fans hold up a sign which asks manager Avram Grant to stay at the club (Chris Ison/PA)

Portsmouth were hit with a points deduction for going into administration and finished bottom of the Premier League, where they have yet to return a decade on.

Grant did, though, manage to lead Portsmouth to the 2010 FA Cup final, where they lost 1-0 to his former club Chelsea.

The Israeli resigned from the debt-ridden club soon after and took over at West Ham.

ID:423811: cacheID:423811:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:5304:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Portsmouth chief executive Mark Catlin pictured in October 2014
Read Next:
Portsmouth chief slams Premier League rescue package for EFL clubs
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
CPortsmouth452713576413594
2Derby CountyDerby452781076373989
3Bolton WanderersBolton452511983483586
4Peterborough UnitedPeterborough452581286582883
5Barnsley4521121281631875
6Lincoln CityLincoln4520141165382774
7Oxford UnitedOxford Utd4521111377552274
8Blackpool4521101463451873
9Stevenage4518141355451068
10Wycombe WanderersWycombe451614155955462
11Leyton Orient451711175054-462
12Exeter CityExeter451710184559-1461
13Wigan AthleticWigan451910166156559
14Northampton TownNorthampton45178205665-959
15Bristol Rovers45169205266-1457
16Charlton AthleticCharlton451120146464053
17Reading451511196568-350
18Shrewsbury TownShrewsbury45139233464-3048
19Cambridge UnitedCambridge451211223961-2247
20Burton Albion451210233964-2546
21Cheltenham TownCheltenham45128254063-2344
RFleetwood TownFleetwood45913234672-2640
RPort Vale451010254174-3340
RCarlisle UnitedCarlisle4579294179-3830


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!