This is a list of seasons played by Portsmouth Football Club in English and European football, from 1899 (the year of the club's first FA Cup entry and elected straight into the first division of the Southern League) to the most recent completed season. Football was played in the city of Portsmouth from the 1850s and was popular for sailors and dockers to play in the city. The current club was founded in 1898 with John Brickwood, owner of the local brewery, as chairman, and Frank Brettell as the club's first manager.

A common myth is that the club's first goalkeeper was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. While Conan Doyle did play as AC Smith for an amateur side, Portsmouth Association Football Club, that flourished from 1883 to 1896, the first goalkeeper of the professional era was Matt Reilly who previously played for the successful Royal Artillery team.

Portsmouth F.C. were formed on 5 April 1898 and coincidentally "replaced" the Royal Artillery Portsmouth club which had "retired" in 1899 after a professionalism scandal. Portsmouth were unusually elected straight into the first division of the Southern League, replacing Royal Artillery Portsmouth (who themselves had replaced the Southampton-based Freemantle F.C. in the 1897-98 season).

Portsmouth F.C.'s first ever league match was played at Chatham Town on 2 September 1899 (a 1–0 victory), followed three days later by the first match at Fratton Park against local rivals Southampton. That first season was hugely successful, with the club winning 20 out of 28 league matches, earning them runners-up spot in the Southern League. The league was won for the first time in the 1901–02 season, by which time Brettell had been replaced by club captain Bob Blyth as manager.

The 1906–07 season was highlighted by the visit of Manchester United to Fratton Park in the FA Cup, which generated a record attendance of 24,329. A 2–2 draw meant a replay in Manchester, and Portsmouth recorded a famous 2–1 win. However, this record attendance was surpassed two seasons later when Sheffield Wednesday visited Fratton for the second round of the new FA Cup.

1910–11 saw Portsmouth relegated, but with the recruitment of Robert Brown as manager the team were promoted the next season.

The club has won the League Championship twice, the FA Cup twice, never won the League Cup, the Charity Shield once (shared).

This list details the club's achievements in all major competitions, and the top scorers for each season. Top scorers in bold were also the top scorers in the English league that season. Records of competitions such as the Hampshire Senior Cup are not included due to them being considered of less importance than the FA Cup and the League Cup.

Non-Football League era SeasonLeagueFA CupTop goalscorer(s)DivisionPWDLGFGAPtsPosName(s)Goals1899–1900SL Div 12820175827412ndR11900–01SL Div 12817475632383rdINT1901–02SL Div 13020736724471stQF1902–03SL Div 13017766932413rdR11903–04SL Div 13417894138424thR11904–05SL Div 134164146156368thR21905–06SL Div 13417986135433rdR11906–07SL Div 13822796436512ndR21907–08SL Div 138176156352409thR31908–09SL Div 1401810126860464thR21909–10SL Div 142207157063476thR21910–11SL Div 1388111934532720thR11911–12SL Div 22619347320412ndR21912–13SL Div 1381481641493611thR11913–14SL Div 1381412125748409thR11914–15SL Div 1381610125442427thR1No competitive football was played between 1915 and 1919 due to the First World War1919–20SL Div 142231277327581stR1

Non-Football League era (Western League) SeasonLeagueTop goalscorerDivisionPWDLFAPtsPosNameGoals1900–01Division 11611232622241st1901–02Division 11613125316271st1902–03Division 11610423414241st1903–04Division 1167272422164th1904–05Division 12010372930234th1905–06Division 1206772629197th1906–07Division 1 'B'104241619103rd1907–08Division 1 'A'12714251312nd1908–09Division 1 'B'125252121124th

Football League era SeasonLeagueFA CupEFL CupEurope/OtherTop goalscorer(s)DivisionPWDLGFGAPtsPosName(s)Goals1920–21Div 34212151546484912thR1Frank Stringfellow131921–22Div 3(S)42181776239533rdR4Percy Cherrett221922–2342198155852467thR1Jerry Mackie101923–2442241178730591stR2Willie Haines281924–25Div 242151895850484thR2Willie Haines Jerry Mackie171925–264217101579744411thR3Willie Haines201926–2742238118749542ndR4Willie Haines401927–28Div 1421671966903920thR3Willie HainesJack Smith111928–29421562156803620thRUJack Smith91929–304215101766624713thR4Jack Weddle211930–31421813118464494thR5Jimmy Easson291931–3242197166262458thR5Jack Weddle221932–3342187177476439thR3Jack Weddle201933–344215121552554210thRUJack Weddle171934–354215101771724014thR4Jack Weddle241935–36421781754674210thR3Jack Weddle161936–37421710156266449thR3Cliff Parker121937–384213121762683819thR4Jimmy Beattie211938–394212131747703717thWJock Anderson101939–40310235218th—FA Charity Shield—colspan=2 No competitive football was played between 1939 and 1946 due to the Second World War1945–46n/aR31946–47Div 1421691766604112thR4Duggie Reid291947–4842197166850458thR4151948–494225898442581stSFPeter Harris221949–5042229117438531stR5FA Charity ShieldWIke Clarke201950–51421615117168477thR3FA Charity Shield—Ike ClarkeLen Phillips111951–5242208146858484thQFDuggie Reid181952–534214101874833815thR3Peter Harris231953–544214111781893914thR5241954–55421812127462483rdR3231955–56421691778854112thR4241956–574210131962923319thR4Johnny GordonPeter Harris131957–58421282273883220thR4Peter Harris181958–59426927641122122ndR5Ron Saunders241959–60Div 24210122059773220thR3171960–614211112064913321stR5QF231961–62Div 346271188747651stR1R3261962–63Div 24213111863793716thR4R4291963–64421611157970439thR3R4341964–654212102056773420thR3R3Cliff Portwood121965–66421681874784012thR3R3Albert McCann131966–674213131659703914thR4R2141967–68421813116855495thR5R3161968–694212141658583815thR4R2Ray Hiron171969–70421392066803517thR3R1181970–714610141846613416thR4R3141971–724612131759683716thR5R1Richie Reynolds111972–734212111942593517thR3R2Ray Hiron101973–744214121645624015thR5R2Ron Davies161974–754212131744543717thR3R2Mick Mellows81975–7642972632612522ndR4R2Norman Piper121976–77Div 34611142153703620thR3R1David Kemp171977–78427172241753124thR2R3211978–79Div 4462012146248527thR2R1Jeff Hemmerman161979–80462412109149604thR3R1Colin Garwood271980–81Div 346229155547536thR1R4David Gregory151981–824614191356516113thR1R2Billy Rafferty191982–8346271097441911stR2R1Alan Biley271983–84Div 2421472173644916thR4R2Mark Hateley251984–8542201486950744thR3R2Neil Webb181985–8642227136941734thR3QFFull Members' CupGSNicky Morgan151986–8742239105328782ndR4R3Full Members' CupQFMicky Quinn281987–88Div 1427141936663519thQFR2Full Members' CupR1111988–89Div 24613122145564020thR3R2Full Members' CupR2211989–904615161562656112thR3R2Full Members' CupR2Guy Whittingham251990–914614112158705317thR5R3Full Members' CupR2201991–92461912156551699thSFR3Full Members' CupR1131992–93Div 1462610108046883rdR3R3Anglo-Italian CupLeague play-offsGSSF471993–944615131852585817thR3QFAnglo-Italian CupGSGerry CreaneyAlan McLoughlin111994–954615131853635818thR4R3Gerry Creaney221995–964613132061695221stR3R1Paul HallAlan McLoughlin101996–9746208185953687thQFR2Lee Bradbury171997–984613102151634920thR3R1John Aloisi121998–994611142157734719thR4R2171999–20004613122155665118thR3R2Steve Claridge142000–014610191747594920thR3R2Lee BradburySteve Claridge112001–024613141960725317thR3R1Peter Crouch192002–0346291169745981stR3R2Svetoslav Todorov262003–04Prem381291747544513thQFR4Yakubu192004–05381091943593916thR4QF172005–06381082037623817thR4R2Lomana LuaLuaGary O'NeilMatthew Taylor72006–07381412124542549thR4R3Nwankwo Kanu122007–0838169134840578thWR4Benjani Mwaruwari122008–093810111738574114thR4R3FA Community ShieldUEFA CupRUGSPeter Crouch162009–1038772434661920thRUQFFrédéric Piquionne102010–11Champ4615131853605816thR3R3David Nugent142011–124613112250594022ndR3R1David Norris82012–13Lg14610122451693224thR1R1Football League TrophyR2Izale McLeod112013–14Lg24614171556665913thR1R1Football League TrophyQFJed Wallace72014–154614151752545716thR1R2Football League TrophyR2172015–16462115107544786thR4R2Football League TrophyLeague play-offsR1SFMarc McNulty122016–1746269117940871stR1R1EFL TrophyGSKal Naismith152017–18Lg146206205757668thR1R1EFL TrophyR3Brett Pitman232018–1946251388351884thR4R1EFL TrophyLeague play-offsWSFJamal Lowe152019–203517995336605thR5R3EFL TrophyLeague play-offsRUSFRonan Curtis112020–2146 21 9 16 65 51 728thR3R2EFL TrophyR3John Marquis92021–2246 20 13 13 68 51 7310thR2R1EFL TrophyR3Marcus Harness112022–2346 17 19 10 61 50 708thR3R2EFL TrophyQFColby Bishop202023–2446 28 13 5 78 41 971stR1R2EFL TrophyR2Colby Bishop212024–25Champ46 14 12 20 58 71 5416thR3R1Colby Bishop112025–2646 14 13 19 49 64 5518thR3R1Adrian Segečić11

Key

P = Played W = Games won D = Games drawn L = Games lost GF = Goals for GA = Goals against Pts = Points Pos = Final position Div 1 = Football League First Division Div 2 = Football League Second Division Div 3 = Football League Third Division Div 3(S) = Football League Third Division South Div 4 = Football League Fourth Division Prem = Premier League Champ = EFL Championship Lg1 = EFL League One Lg2 = EFL League Two n/a = Not applicable INT = Intermediate Round GS = Group Stage R1 = Round 1 R2 = Round 2 R3 = Round 3 R4 = Round 4 R5 = Round 5 QF = Quarter-Finals SF = Semi-Finals RU = Runners-up W = Winners

ChampionsRunners-upPromotedRelegated

Note: bold text indicates a competition won. Note 2: Where fields are left blank, the club did not participate in a competition that season.

Footnotes

References