Portsmouth were once again poor in the second division during the 1970-71 campaign. The club could only manage to finish the season off in a poor 16th place. They were unlucky in the FA Cup, losing in the forth round, 3-2 against Arsenal.
The 1971-72 season saw little change in Pompey’s league fortune, they once again finished the season off in 16th position, however they embarked on a decent run in the FA Cup, they reached the last sixteen, losing 3-1 to Birmingham City. The 72-73 season saw Pompey crash out the competition in the third round, on this occasion losing to Bradford City. They faired even worse in the league as they were condemned into finishing in 17th place. The following two season witnessed Pompey finish off in 15th and 17th place respectively. They managed to reach the fifth round of the FA Cup during the 73-74 season however they were unfortunate to be knocked out. Many people blamed the clubs demise on an over reliance on an ageing playing staff. Whatever the reason, Pompey found it difficult to recapture the old glories.