Pompey Waste of Money Eleven

Yoshi Kawaguchi

The Japanese shot-stopper was signed from Yokohama Marinos in 2001 for a then-club record fee in the region of £1.8m. The overseas investment proved to be a poor one as the team started to ship goals at an alarming rate with Yoshi between the sticks. He made 12 appearances before Dave Beasant was reinstalled in goal, a keeper more able to withstand the physical demands of the English game, and touch the crossbar.

Djimi Traore

Harry Redknapp forked out a cool million for the services of the Champions League winner. For this not inconsiderable layout the Blues got 13 shaky defensive performances and very little else. He was quickly loaned out and then allowed to return to his native France. He is currently doing well as assistant coach at MLS cup winners, Seattle Sounders.

Andy O’Brien

There’s a fine line for gnarly, old school central defenders between warhorse and carthorse, and Andy O’Brien frequently trod the wrong side of the mark during his time at Pompey. Captured from Newcastle for £2m he was Alain Perrin’s first signing for the Blues. In what can only be described as an act of karma, he contrived to score two own goals for Pompey in a 3-3 draw with Leeds in 2010.

Mike Williamson

Centre half Williamson was signed from Watford on a four-year deal for a fee in the region of £2m with add-on clauses that could potentially add another million on top. Five months and not a solitary appearance later and he was on his way to Newcastle United for a substantially reduced fee. Not exactly the greatest piece of business conducted.

Jamie Vincent

Somehow during his short tenure as Blues manager Steve Claridge sweet-talked Milan Mandaric into parting with £800,000 for Huddersfield Town left-back, Jamie Vincent. As a footballer Vincent could be best classed as limited, which thankfully is also how you can describe his Pompey career.

Jhon Viafara

Somehow Viafara’s performances for Once Caldas in the Copa Libertadores caught the eye of the powers that be at Fratton Park and the leggy Colombian was swiftly installed into the centre of Pompey’s midfield. He cost in the region of £800,000 but was unable to establish himself in the first team, so, after a meagre 14 league appearances, he was flogged to that lot down the other end of the M27.

Giannis Skopelitis

Kostas Chalkias. Angelos Basinas. Theofanis Gekas. Nikos Kyzeridis. The Fratton Faithful has witnessed more Greek tragedies than Sophocles has had hot doners. And while you’re at it you can add Giannis Skopelitis to the list. Signed from Egaleo FC for a reported fee of £1m in 2005, the midfielder made a mere 18 appearances before, tragically, the feeling was gone and he couldn’t go on.

John Utaka

The mercurial Nigerian’s primary contribution to Portsmouth Football Club was crossing for fellow Nigerian Kanu to pop home the winner against Cardiff in the 2008 FA Cup Final. However, the assist came at a price, as Utaka cost the club a whopping £7m from Rennes, plus a pretty penny in wages. His performances in a Pompey shirt could be described as patchy at best.

David Nugent

Pompey paid Preston North End £6m for David Nugent. It was money poorly spent, as the Scouse striker failed to settle on the south coast, both on and off the pitch. It wasn’t through lack of trying on Nugent’s part, but he was never able to justify the price tag and only ever looked like an average Championship striker (which was a shame, as the Blues were in the Premier League at the time).

Ian Baird

The niggly striker joined the Blues from Leeds United in 1988 with a transfer tribunal setting his fee at £285,000, a club record at the time. By his own admission his spell at Pompey was an absolute f-word disaster, as anybody who say him play would surely testify. He lasted 20 games (and just the one goal) before returning to Elland Road at a vastly discounted rate.

Lee Mills 

Yet another hopeless striker to break the club’s then-record transfer fee, Lee Mills was bought from Bradford City for £1.25m in 2000. One-paced (v. slow) and with the first touch of a domestic hoofed mammal with a braying call, it was soon evident that we’d been sold a dud. He managed a return of four goals in 26 games before being sent to Coventry.