History of Portsmouth F.C. place, thanks to academy director Paul Hart stepping in as caretaker boss, seven points clear of the relegated clubs, despite the disruption brought by the departure of Harry Redknapp and the subsequent sacking of his successor, former assistant manager Tony Adams. At the start of the 2008–09 season rumours began to fly around that Portsmouth were facing crippling debts due to their recent heavy spending and owner Alexandre Gaydamak was looking to sell the club. After Redknapp's departure many key players began to depart with Lassana Diarra and Jermain Defoe leaving in January. In May 2009, Sulaiman Al-Fahim had a
History of Portsmouth F.C. a roofed upper terrace and an open-air lower terrace. In the 1956–57 season, Portsmouth escaped relegation by four points and finished two places above the drop zone. In the following 1957–58 season, Portsmouth once again escaped relegation on goal difference and finished one place above the relegation zone. Manager Eddie Lever left Portsmouth in April 1958. Freddie Cox became new Portsmouth manager in August 1958. The new 1958-59 season was the first Football League season with four national divisions. The two old regional Third Divisions (North and South) which had begun in the 1921-22 season were restructured and replaced with