Valley Parade may hold many special memories for Portsmouth boss Alan Ball, but he is quick to point out that few parallels can be drawn between tomorrow's game and the final match of last season.

On an unforgettable afternoon for the 4,000 Pompey fans who made the long trip north, two goals from John Durnin and another from Sammy Igoe were enough to secure their First Division status.

Eleven months on, Portsmouth are in danger of being sucked into the relegation fight again after a wretched run which has seen them win just once in eight league games.

However the fortunes of Bradford City have changed markedly - something Ball is quick to stress.

He said: "Going to Bradford will bring back some marvellous memories for me, but this game is a totally different situation.

"They are going for an automatic promotion place and we have just got to buck up our ideas so we don't get dragged into the boiling pot.

"Bradford have had a lot of money to spend this season. Full credit to their board, they have backed their manager and really gone for it."

Crisis club Portsmouth have been in dire financial straits all season and at one stage were losing £35,000 per week. Since then, the club have gone into administration but there are very real fears on the south coast that this season could be the club's last.

Pompey looked set for a comfortable mid-table finish after enjoying a nine-game unbeaten run just after Christmas.

However the enforced sale of John Aloisi to Coventry for just £700,000 hit Pompey hard - a fact illustrated by the Australian still being the club's top scorer with 14 league goals, six ahead of Steve Claridge.

Guy Whittingham solved the club's scoring problems in the short-term before having to return to Sheffield Wednesday after his loan spell ended and Ball knows that Pompey must rediscover their scoring touch sooner rather than later.

The Pompey boss said: "We know we are having trouble putting the ball into the net and we are working very hard to rectify that. But without whinging or moaning, people should remember that we lost the leading scorer in the division for a stupid price.

"And then we could not afford to keep someone who had scored seven goals in nine games."

Ball's main selection headache ahead of tomorrow's game is whether to partner Claridge up front with either John Durnin or exciting youngster Luke Nightingale.

Alternatively, he may opt to pack midfield with six men to try to make life difficult for free-scoring City.

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