Pompey boss Danny Cowley reckons there are at least ‘five clubs in League One that could do very well in this year’s Championship‘.
It was on the 19th of March 2021 when Cowley was appointed as head coach of Portsmouth on a contract until the end of the 2020–21 season, with his brother Nicky once again joining as his assistant.
He came in and by the 11th of May 2021, he oversaw 6 wins in 12 matches in charge, and that saw Cowley sign a new “long term” deal with the club.
‘Five clubs in League One could do very well in this year’s Championship’
They ended the season in 8th place, missing out on a playoff place come the final day of the campaign, and the hangover from that hasn’t carried over to the new term, with the boss convinced Pompey are better equipped than last year to thrive when faced with greater challenges.
Summer transfer business came to an end last week, with and Fratton Park has seen 14 arrivals before the window shut.
Meanwhile, 17 players who featured in the Blues’ first-team squad for League One matches last term have departed.
It’s set to be a very unique season with seven former Premier League clubs competing in the division, making it potentially one of the toughest of years to win promotion.
The head coach is convinced he’s never known the level offering such a tough test.
Cowley told The News: ‘This is a much better league than last year – but we are a better team than last year.
‘You only have to look at the business that some of our rivals were able to do on deadline day.
‘This is the toughest I have ever known League One, there are at least five clubs in this division that could do very well in the Championship this year (Sunderland, Ipswich, Sheffield Wednesday, Charlton and Wigan).
‘It’s a unique season in League One, probably the first since Pompey have been promoted from League Two that they haven’t been the favorites with Sunderland to get promotion.
‘I think being the underdog suits Pompey better, that’s my feeling.
‘It has been a tough transfer window, we didn’t anticipate losing some of the players that we did at the back end of the season.
‘What we all have to remember is it was a unique period, the club were coming out of a pandemic, we didn’t quite know what next season looked like in terms of crowds and supporters.
‘We didn’t quite know what our budget was at the back end of last season, so that’s the reason why we had so many out of contract in the first place.
‘We were then hopeful we would be able to keep four or five. We weren’t and knew quite early this was going to be a busy one – and so it proved.’.
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Of Portsmouth’s arrivals, seven of them have played in the Championship last year.
It’s a calibre of player Cowley has focused upon to strengthen a Blues squad torn up after finishing eighth in the League One table.
He added: ‘Signing Joe Morrell felt like a lifetime ago – it has been a crazy window.
‘I remember going on holiday to Portugal in May, when I didn’t even get into the pool! I should have just chilled out.
‘I should have just put my feet up, rested and enjoyed some family time, but the fact was I had 14 players to bring in!’
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LEAGUE ONE TABLE
| POS | TEAM | PLD | W | D | L | GF | GA | +/- | PTS | |
 | 1 | Sunderland | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 4 | +4 | 12 |
 | 2 | Accrington Stanley | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 12 |
 | 3 | Sheffield Wednesday | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | +4 | 10 |
 | 4 | Wigan Athletic | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 10 |
 | 5 | Portsmouth | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 10 |
 | 6 | Wycombe Wanderers | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 6 | +2 | 10 |
 | 7 | Oxford United | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 8 | +1 | 10 |
 | 8 | Burton Albion | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 10 |
 | 9 | AFC Wimbledon | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 9 | +2 | 9 |
 | 10 | Milton Keynes Dons | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 9 | +2 | 9 |
 | 11 | Rotherham United | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 9 |
 | 12 | Cambridge United | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 4 | +3 | 8 |
 | 13 | Plymouth Argyle | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 8 |
 | 14 | Bolton Wanderers | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 8 | +1 | 8 |
 | 15 | Morecambe | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 7 |
 | 16 | Cheltenham Town | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 10 | -2 | 6 |
 | 17 | Gillingham | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 6 | -1 | 5 |
 | 18 | Fleetwood Town | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | -2 | 4 |
 | 19 | Charlton Athletic | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | -2 | 4 |
 | 20 | Lincoln City | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 7 | -3 | 4 |
 | 21 | Ipswich Town | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 10 | -2 | 3 |
 | 22 | Shrewsbury Town | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 9 | -7 | 3 |
 | 23 | Crewe Alexandra | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 7 | -6 | 1 |
 | 24 | Doncaster Rovers | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 7 | -6 | 1 |
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