Source: Daily_Mail
Avram Grant hails Pompey heroes after cup win over Saints
Avram Grant hailed his Portsmouth players as heroes as they sweptpast local rivals Southampton to qualify for the FA Cup quarter-finals,at the end of a week in which the club were close to being shut downfor good because of total debts of £60million. [LNB]Goals from Quincy Owusu-Abeyie, Aruna Dindane, Nadir Belhadj andJamie O'Hara sealed a 4-1 win, which will earn Portsmouth a much-needed£180,000 in prizemoney and £123,000 in television fees.[LNB] High spirits: Avram Grant celebrates in front of Pompey fans[LNB] But that will not be enough to stave off the winding-up order of the Revenue, who are owed £12m and, with another High Court hearing scheduled for March 1, five days before the next round of the FA Cup, Portsmouth may not even be in existence for their hard-earned quarter-final. [LNB]'We will keep fighting for as long as we have a chance on the pitch,' said Grant, who celebrated with the 4,000 travelling fans. [LNB]'It has been difficult and we would like to only deal with the problem on the pitch, but we have to contend with what happens off the pitch as well. You can use difficulties to make the spirit even higher, and I said that to the players.[LNB] On the way: Portsmouth fans celebrate their fifth-round win[LNB] 'When it is going well, it's easy - it is when there are difficult times that you show your real character. These players have shown how to behave in difficult times.' [LNB]Grant renewed his attack on the Premier League for preventing the club from signing players last month because of their debts, which are estimated at £30m. [LNB]He said: 'I feel some people took an easy option to punish us.' Southampton 1 Portsmouth 4: Pompey cash in with late flurryDES KELLY: Portsmouth are cheats, so let them go to the wallSaints and winners: Southampton and Pompey are bitter enemies - here's whyPORTSMOUTH FC
