On This Day: Portsmouth name Avram Grant as head coach

| 26 November 2020

Avram Grant led Pompey to the FA Cup final but could not prevent relegation from the Premier League.

Avram Grant was named Portsmouth boss on this day in 2009, marking his return to management for the first time since Chelsea's Champions League final defeat to Manchester United.

Pompey decided to wield the axe on former youth-team coach Paul Hart, with the side rooted to the bottom of the Premier League having managed a meagre seven points from 13 matches.

Grant was swiftly made favourite to replace him, having only returned to Fratton Park for a second spell as director of football the previous month.

Portsmouth manager Avram Grant acknowledges the fans after collecting his runners up medal at the FA Cup final (Nick Potts/PA)

It was a far cry from his last managerial role and his reign started with a 4-1 home defeat to Manchester United, who he had lost to 18 months earlier when a John Terry slip saw the European crown fall out of their grasp.

Grant's Premier League campaign did not improve much after that during a topsy-turvy time in the dugout.

Portsmouth fans hold up a sign which asks manager Avram Grant to stay at the club (Chris Ison/PA)

Portsmouth were hit with a points deduction for going into administration and finished bottom of the Premier League, where they have yet to return a decade on.

Grant did, though, manage to lead Portsmouth to the 2010 FA Cup final, where they lost 1-0 to his former club Chelsea.

The Israeli resigned from the debt-ridden club soon after and took over at West Ham.