The 2002-03 campaign delivered a triumphant return to the top flight for Portsmouth as Pompey, under the guidance of manager Harry Redknapp, clinched the First Division championship and promotion to the Premier League after a 15-year absence. Leading the charge was the prolific Bulgarian striker Svetoslav Todorov, whose league-leading 26 goals, including the emotional, promotion-clinching strike against Burnley, earned him the division's Golden Boot. It was a golden year built on attacking flair, featuring star playmaker Paul Merson and the emerging talent of Yakubu, and remains a defining chapter of immense joy and relief for the Fratton Park faithful.