Skipper celebrates a special achievement
Michael Doyle had never won a league title before joining Pompey.
But the veteran midfielder can celebrate after skippering his side to League Two silverware this season.
A 6-1 thrashing of Cheltenham at Fratton Park sparked scenes of joy as fans raced onto the pitch to join in the party.
And Doyle is looking forward to the revelry continuing with Sunday’s event on Southsea Common.
He said: “It feels great and I’m just so delighted for everyone involved with this club.
“It was an emotional moment. I’ve played more than 700 games and never won a title, so it’s fantastic to be able to call myself a champion.
“We’ve been so far behind, so it feels a bit surreal and I don’t think it’s quite sunk in that we’ve won the league.
“It’s all a bit of a blur and it’s a shame we couldn’t get back out on the pitch, but it should be an amazing day on the common.
“I’ve only been here two years, but I know what this club has been through, so this is a special achievement.
“People always say that it’s the best team that wins the league – and we were the best team.”
Pompey had not been top of the table all season, but crept above Plymouth and Doncaster in the closing moments of the final day.
Doyle said: “That’s the best way to do it. This has been a marathon not a sprint, but we looked after our own business and did the job.
“It was unfortunate for Hartlepool to go out of the Football League, but they did us a favour by beating Doncaster.
“And Ben Davies at Grimsby said he’d have a go for us and they held Plymouth to a draw, so he stuck to his word.”