Matt Ritchie on Portsmouth’s Championship Struggle: Survival Will ‘Taste All the Better’

Portsmouth’s record in the Championship this season stands at one victory and six draws. Winger Matt Ritchie stated that securing Championship survival this season would “taste all the better for the suffering” Portsmouth is currently enduring. The team, known as the Blues, continues to occupy the last position in the league standings and suffered their seventh league loss of the season on Tuesday, falling 1-0 to Plymouth Argyle in an away fixture. Speaking to BBC Radio Solent, Ritchie commented, “We have to perform, we have to find a new level and more.” He further added, “If by the end of the season we can achieve our goal of staying in the Championship then it will taste all the better for the suffering we’re going through now.” Ritchie concluded, “Nothing worth achieving is going to be easy, we have to keep believing.” Even though they delivered an encouraging display at Home Park against another team battling relegation, Portsmouth once more ended up on the losing end. Portsmouth’s winger, Matt Ritchie, gave an interview to Andy Moon of BBC Radio Solent following the 1-0 loss at Home Park on Tuesday. Since his transfer from Newcastle United during the summer, Ritchie has had limited playing time, making only a single league start at home against Sunderland prior to the end of October. Nevertheless, after a strong showing as a late substitute against Sheffield Wednesday, the 35-year-old has secured consecutive starts, participating in an away draw against Hull City and Tuesday’s loss to Argyle. Ritchie further stated, “No one’s going to help us, we have to help ourselves internally.” He continued, “We have to work hard, nothing’s going to get us out of this position we find ourselves in other than hard work, desire and mentality to stick together.” Ritchie concluded by saying, “We will dust ourselves down and go again. The wonderful thing about the Championship is we now have a game on Saturday, it’s a great opportunity to get three points and that’s what we’ll be trying to do.” Pompey’s next match will be against another team also struggling in the league, Preston North End, who will visit Fratton Park on Saturday. The Lilywhites currently possess five more points than Portsmouth this season and are positioned in 21st place, two points clear of the relegation zone.