Andrew Cole’s time at Portsmouth failed to deliver on the expectations supporters hoped for given his previously legendary stints at Newcastle United and Manchester United.
The forward arrived in a deal worth a reported £500,000, potentially rising to £1 million, with Harry Redknapp’s side looking to build on their narrow escape from relegation in the campaign prior.
Pompey finished 17th in the Premier League, avoiding the drop to the Championship by just four points in their third year back in the top flight.
Redknapp oversaw a busy summer at Fratton Park in response, with the club’s ambitions being far greater than just 17th in the table.
Cole’s arrival on deadline day capped off a window of spending on signings such as Nico Kranjcar, David James, Djimi Traoré, Laurén, with free agents David Thompson, Sol Campbell and Nwankwo Kanu all joining as well.
Andy Cole’s impact at Portsmouth
Sheffield United v Portsmouth FA Barclays Premiership
Cole is fourth on the list of all-time top goal scorers in the Premier League era of English football, bagging an impressive 187.
Most of those goals came across stints at Newcastle and Man United, while playing a key role in five Premier League title triumphs, two FA Cups and a Champions League — winning all three in the 1998/99 campaign.
However, his time at Old Trafford came to an end in 2002, and he maintained a solid scoring record in the years that followed with Blackburn Rovers, Fulham and Man City.
But once he arrived at Fratton Park, it became evident that he was no longer at the peak of his powers.
Andy Cole - Portsmouth league goals and appearances (per Fbref.com)
Season
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2006-07
Cole made just 18 appearances for Portsmouth in just one campaign at the club, despite signing a two-year deal after his move from Manchester City.
The iconic forward scored just three times, with the Englishman struggling to keep up as the team’s performance levels improved dramatically.
Cole didn’t make his debut until 1 October, coming off the bench in a 2-1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur.
However, he did score in his next appearance, adding the second in a 2-0 win over relegation-threatened West Ham.
Cole couldn’t keep up at Portsmouth
Kanu
Kanu ultimately proved the far bigger signing for Portsmouth that summer, with the Nigerian making an immediate impact in Redknapp’s side.
He scored 10 times in the Premier League, with Benjani also playing a pivotal role in their attack.
Kanu started 32 times from 36 appearances in the top flight, and was the key figure behind their rise to ninth in the table.
Mousinho Related
[John Mousinho raises "horrible" issue that Portsmouth FC need to fix fast](https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/john-mousinho-raises-horrible-issue-that-portsmouth-fc-need-to-fix-fast/ "John Mousinho raises "horrible" issue that Portsmouth FC need to fix fast")
John Mousinho has questioned his Portsmouth FC players after they failed to pull away from the relegation zone.
Cole would go on to score twice more after his strike against West Ham, bagging against Fulham and Bolton Wanderers.
However, the forward made just five starts, and his final appearance for the club came on 3 March, having been loaned to Birmingham City for the final two months of the campaign.
The striker ended up departing the club permanently when the season concluded, with Portsmouth’s risk not particularly paying off.
Cole went on to sign for Sunderland following their promotion under Roy Keane, but he similarly struggled before dropping to the Championship with Burnley and then Nottingham Forest.
Cole’s time at Portsmouth couldn’t deliver like his legendary stints at Newcastle and Man United, and ultimately showed his time in the spotlight was over.