ON TOP OF THE DISNEY WORLD

Pitman backs Pompey for a fairy-tale ending

PORTSMOUTH may be bankrolled by the former Walt Disney boss – but captain Brett Pitman insists their bid for a Premier League return is no Mickey Mouse dream.

Pompey’s rise to the top of League One has been funded by millionaire American owner Michael Eisner, ex-chairman of the movie-making giants.

Striker Pitman said: “Our immediate ambition definitely has to be to finish in the top six this season. That is where we should be aiming and if we get top two that would be a bonus.

“The fan base we have got deserves to be in the Premier League and that is the end goal, but there is a long way to go before that happens.” Pitman was part of the Bournemouth side Eddie Howe led from the foot of League Two to the top flight and sees similarities between two south coast sides.

Like the Cherries, Pompey almost went to the wall when they dropped out of the Premier League in 2010 after racking up debts of £130million.

Pitman, whose high-fliers face AFC Wimbledon today, added: “Both clubs were close to going out of business and there is a similarity with the two teams as well. The team that got promoted at Bournemouth had some talented individuals but we all worked hard – and what we do here is very similar.

“We want to work hard for each other and outwork the opposition, and that was the same at Bournemouth.”

Eisner shares Pitman’s burning ambition of helping Pompey complete an incredible comeback by rising to the big time again.

His son Eric, who is also a director of the Fratton Park outfit, said: “Our aspirations are to take the club back to its glory days and the Premier League, slowly but surely, brick by brick.

“It would be a fairy tale, but not an unrealistic goal”.