The south-coast club went into administration in February and the subsequent nine-point deduction crushed their hopes of survival. Any lingering survival dream definitively ended today when West Ham's win over Sunderland left Portsmouth 17 points from safety with only 15 to play for. Ilan's goal gave West Ham a 1-0 victory at Upton Park, and nudged them four points clear of the relegation zone. Portsmouth have lurched from crisis to crisis this season but still have the chance to finish their campaign on a high by reaching a Wembley final. Administrators have held talks with several parties in an attempt to find the club new owners, and a new chief executive was appointed this week, with David Lampitt joining from the Football Association. On the pitch, Portsmouth have managed just six wins this season, and they will return to the Championship next season after seven years in the top tier.
