During the 2001–02 English football season, Portsmouth F.C. competed in the Football League First Division.

Season summary Portsmouth started the season promisingly but slumped during the winter and were involved in a relegation battle for the second half of the season. A string of poor results, including a 4–1 home loss in the FA Cup to bottom of the Football League Leyton Orient, meant that Director of Football Harry Redknapp was given more responsibilities until he eventually replaced Rix as team manager toward the end of the season. The goals of striker Peter Crouch and the creativity of veteran Croatian midfielder Robert Prosinečki played a crucial role in saving Portsmouth from relegation. Despite only spending the one season with the club before moving to Slovenian side Olimpija Ljubljana, such was the role Prosinečki played that he is now widely regarded as one of the greatest players to ever grace Fratton Park. Crouch was sold to Aston Villa near the end of the season for £5 million, which was used in the ensuing summer to rebuild the squad.

Tragedy struck the club six days before the start of the season when goalkeeper Aaron Flahavan was killed in a car crash near Bournemouth on 5 August. Both Portsmouth and Flahavan's youth club Southampton retired the number 1 jersey during the season, out of respect for Flahavan, who had played more than 100 games for Portsmouth since making his debut five years earlier.

Kit Portsmouth retained the previous season's kit, manufactured by the club's own brand, Pompey Sport, and sponsored by Bishop's Printers.

Final league table

Results summary

Results by round

Results Portsmouth's score comes first

Legend WinDrawLoss

Football League First Division DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 11 August 2001 Wolverhampton WanderersA2–223,012Crouch, Crowe 18 August 2001 Bradford CityH0–117,239 25 August 2001 Stockport CountyA1–05,090Prosinečki 27 August 2001 Grimsby TownH4–213,614Burchill (2), Crouch (2) 8 September 2001 GillinghamH2–117,224Barrett, Zamperini 12 September 2001 WimbledonA3–37,138Burchill, Crouch, Bradbury (pen) 15 September 2001 Crystal PalaceH4–218,149Zamperini, Prosinečki, Burchill (pen), Crouch 18 September 2001 WalsallA0–06,153 22 September 2001 Coventry CityA0–218,303 25 September 2001 West Bromwich AlbionH1–217,287Prosinečki (pen) 28 September 2001 BarnsleyA4–111,660Vincent, Crouch, Bradbury (2, 1 pen) 12 October 2001 Rotherham UnitedA1–26,427Crouch 20 October 2001 Sheffield UnitedH1–015,538Edinburgh 23 October 2001 Norwich CityA0–019,962 27 October 2001 Preston North EndH0–115,402 30 October 2001 Birmingham CityH1–115,612Bradbury 3 November 2001 Sheffield WednesdayA3–218,212Crouch (2), Barrett 10 November 2001 BurnleyA1–114,123Crouch 17 November 2001 Manchester CityH2–119,103Bradbury, Crouch 25 November 2001 WatfordA0–315,631 28 November 2001 Nottingham ForestH3–214,837Hjelde (own goal), Bradbury (2, 1 pen) 2 December 2001 Norwich CityH1–213,286Harper 8 December 2001 Crewe AlexandraH2–414,430Lovell, Crouch 13 December 2001 MillwallA0–111,527 22 December 2001 Stockport CountyH2–013,887Crouch, Lovell 26 December 2001 GillinghamA0–210,477 29 December 2001 Grimsby TownA1–35,217Crouch 12 January 2002 Bradford CityA1–314,306Primus 17 January 2002 Wolverhampton WanderersH2–313,105Quashie, Prosinečki 30 January 2002 Nottingham ForestA1–026,476Prosinečki 2 February 2002 BarnsleyH4–412,756Prosinečki (3, 1 pen), Primus 9 February 2002 Sheffield UnitedA3–417,553Crouch, Prosinečki, Quashie 16 February 2002 Rotherham UnitedH0–013,313 23 February 2002 West Bromwich AlbionA0–521,028 26 February 2002 Coventry CityH1–012,336Crouch 2 March 2002 WalsallH1–113,203Crouch 5 March 2002 Crystal PalaceA0–015,915 9 March 2002 MillwallH3–015,221Biagini, O'Neil, Pitt 12 March 2002 WimbledonH1–213,118Biagini 16 March 2002 Crewe AlexandraA1–17,170Crouch 23 March 2002 Sheffield WednesdayH0–014,819 30 March 2002 Preston North EndA0–216,832 1 April 2002 BurnleyH1–118,020Todorov 7 April 2002 Birmingham CityA1–125,030Pitt 13 April 2002 WatfordH0–116,302 21 April 2002 Manchester CityA1–334,657Pitt

FA Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR316 January 2002 Leyton OrientH1–412,936Smith (own goal)

League Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR121 August 2001 Colchester UnitedH1–27,078Crouch

Squad

Left club during season

References