Ex-Premier League club abandoned futuristic £600million boat-shaped 36,000 stadium due to financial crisis
Younger readers may not be so aware, but Portsmouth used to be somewhat of a Premier League giant.
The south coast side are currently stranded in League One, but during the late 2000s, they were synonymous with the FA Cup.
Winning it in 2008 and returning to the final in 2010, Pompey had one of the most glorious spells of their modern history after their promotion to the top flight in 2003, but it all crashed down with an almighty thud.
A thrilling front line of Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe won at Wembley and secured European football, but two summers later Portsmouth had four different owners in a matter of months and were heading for the abyss.
With £105million owed to numerous clubs, agents, players and even former owners, administration cost Pompey nine points in 2010, and ultimately their top flight status which they’ve never got back.
Irresponsible spending was the main reason for Portsmouth's demise, along with the 2008 global financial crisis which ended another dream for the club.
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That was moving out of their home Fratton Park, a now faint memory for fans of the League One side.
A year before the financial crisis the club even released plans for a spectacular new arena next to the city’s famous Gunwharf Quays Spinnaker Tower.
Estimated to cost £600million, the dockyards venue was supposed to rejuvenate the area, leading to 1500 new homes, restaurants, cafes and other leisure amenities.
Meanwhile, Fratton Park’s demolition was scheduled to make way for a further 750 new homes, with work getting underway in 2008.
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Incredible rendered images showed what the ship-like 36,000-seater arena could look like, and the club were confident it could be finished by 2011.
CEO Peter Storrie said: "This will be the most spectacular stadium, set against the backdrop of the harbour and the English Channel befitting the club's history.
"The club will be playing a big part in the regeneration of the city and our fans will have the very best in terms of facilities and amenities as well as an excellent viewing experience.
“Portsmouth is moving into a new dawn with the backing of owner Alexandre Gaydamak and these are very exciting times for the club both on and off the field."
Sadly, little over a year later, Gaydamak sold the club Sulaiman Al Fahim, triggering a number of ownership changes that left Portsmouth struggling to stay afloat.
And in 2011, the year they were meant to be in their new stadium, they were back in the Championship and sinking all the way down to League Two, staying in the Football League by the skin of their teeth.