On this day: Harry Redknapp departs Portsmouth

As far as a football club is concerned, the most important relationship to ensure that the whole operation functions smoothly is the one between a manager and his chairman.

Consequently, when that rapport becomes fractious, more than often than not, there is only one outcome - the manager leaves.

That was indeed the case when Harry Redknapp decided to call time on his first stint in charge of Portsmouth 10 years ago today.

The former West Ham United boss took charge at Fratton Park in 2002 with Pompey struggling in the Championship, but a season later he guided them to the Premier League for the first time in the club's history.

Under his stewardship, Portsmouth then secured their status in the top flight by finishing 13th, thanks in part to home victories over Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.

All the while, though, there was controversy brewing behind the scenes. At the end of the 2003-04 campaign, Redknapp had rowed with chairman Milan Mandaric regarding the future of assistant Jim Smith. Redknapp was granted his wish and Smith stayed put, but soon after, much to the manager's annoyance, Velimir Zajec was appointed as an executive director.

At that point it seemed that the writing was on the wall and so it was proved when Redknapp announced that he was stepping down with the club 12th in the table and in the quarter-finals of the League Cup.

"It was my decision and something I have been thinking about for some time. I made it without any pressure from the chairman or the board. I feel very proud of both my own and the club's achievements over the last two years, leaving them in an excellent position," he said.

However, despite Redknapp's insistence that he had made the decision to take a break from the game, his deputy Smith had a different viewpoint: "If you believe Harry has left to take a break from football you will believe anything. The writing has been on the wall for months. Velimir Zajec coming in was a major factor but it was not the only thing. Things have not been right for some time."

As for Mandaric, he attempted to play down reports that he and Redknapp had fallen out: "Harry and I remain great friends. I have tremendous admiration and respect for where he has taken this club - a feat several managers before him could not get near to."

"People will obviously make their own minds up and say that Harry has stepped down for the reasons that have been intensely speculated over in the media. That could not be further from the truth but then the speculations were pretty wide of the mark also. The truth is Harry sees this as a perfect opportunity to bow out."

Just a few weeks after his departure, Redknapp filled the hot seat at Portsmouth's main rivals Southampton, but he returned to Pompey late in 2005 to keep the club in the Premier League, before going on to guide the team to the FA Cup in 2008.