Portsmouth are expected to secure another solid mid-table position in the Championship next term, according to football experts predicting the Blues’ second consecutive season in the second tier.
Football analysts Ryan Dilks and Justin Peach from the Second Tier Podcast believe Portsmouth should focus on establishing themselves in the Championship rather than pursuing immediate promotion ambitions following their respectable 16th-place finish last campaign.
The south coast club completed their first Championship season in over a decade with a creditable mid-table position, finishing above teams including Hull City, Preston and Stoke City despite initial struggles.
Manager John Mousinho guided his squad to notable victories against Leeds United, Bristol City and Coventry City, ultimately securing safety with five points separating them from relegation.
The upcoming season presents fresh challenges with Birmingham City and Wrexham joining from League One, whilst Southampton, Ipswich and Leicester have dropped down from the Premier League.
Peach emphasised the importance of consolidation, stating: “I think it’s about establishing for the likes of Portsmouth, Derby and sort of Oxford United. When you survive in your first year after coming up from League One, you want to establish yourself in the Championship.”
He referenced Preston’s successful model under Simon Grayson, noting how solid mid-table campaigns provided the foundation for later play-off challenges under Alex Neil.
“For Portsmouth, yes a mid-table will be absolutely fine and then anything else becomes a bonus. Just make sure you’re not in a position to go down and it’s as simple as that,” Peach added.
Portsmouth operated with one of the division’s smaller budgets last season, a situation likely to continue with the arrival of well-funded Birmingham and Wrexham.
Dilks expressed cautious optimism about Portsmouth’s prospects, saying: “I’m not sure what my early expectations are for Portsmouth. I don’t think they’ll go down but I’m not massively looking higher up the division with them.”
He praised the club’s approach, highlighting Mousinho’s development as a manager and the team’s attractive playing style, whilst acknowledging budget constraints will require realistic expectations for the coming campaign.
