With the largest attendances, fanbase, and possibly transfer budget too, Portsmouth are very much a team on the up under Paul Cook.

The South Coast club who fought in some extremely exciting signing in the opening parts of the 2015/16 season, came agonisingly close to promotion from Sky Bet League Two last time around, snatched out of their grasp by Plymouth Argyle.

This year, the Blues look once again destined for promotion, it seems as if the Pompey board are going all out to send the club back up to the upper echelons of English football.

With 6 new signings under their belt, Football League World writer George Harbey names his Pompey starting eleven that will SURELY take the Blue Army back to where they belong, and more importantly secure promotion this time around.

 

GK: Michael Crowe

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One minor problem last year was Paul Cook failing to address the goalkeeper situation.

Paul Jones and Brian Murphy seemed to keep swapping with each other after each week went by.

Michael Crowe, who has been on trial with the club throughout the whole of pre season, looks almost certain to join the club.

The 20-year-old, who is 6 foot 7 inches tall would bring a lot of presence and vast experience having been on loan at Stevenage last year.

Alex Bass would also be a contender for starting goalkeeper, however Paul Cook is keen to bring in a new number one.

RB: Drew Talbot

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Pompey's new recruit Drew Talbot spent 7 years at Paul Cook's former employers Chesterfield, so it came as no great shock when the player, who made 227 appearances for the Spireites netting 13 times, penned a two-year deal at Fratton Park.

What did come as a great shock, however, was 15/16 Player of the Year Ben Davies being let go by Cook, after opting not to offer the 35 year old a new deal at the latter stages of last campaign.

On the other hand, Talbot is more than capable when it comes to being the perfect candidate to replace Davies, with the versatile defender having vast experience when it comes to getting out of League Two, after winning it twice with Chesterfield.

Pompey fans will also be impressed when looking at Talbot's other positions played, it seems as if he has played everywhere but goalkeeper, which will come in particularly handy when adding to squad depth, injuries and stuttering form was what cost the Blues the ultimate prize last term.

RCB: Tom Davies

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Tom Davies was one of the spearheads that led Accrington to enduring an unbelievable finishing league position last term.

The 24-year-old made 32 appearances for Stanley in his one year at the club, leaving Paul Cook no decision but to snap up the highly rated young defender.

Replacing Christian Burgess is a huge risk, but it seems as if Cook wants to get rid of any lack of brute force and firepower that was ultimately Pompey's downfall last time around.

LCB: Matt Clarke

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After a very successful loan spell at the club last campaign, Paul Cook opted to resign Clarke permanently from Ipswich Town, in a deal which saw long term player Adam Webster leave the club, as well as receiving a fee in the region of £750,000.

Clarke, who made 29 appearances for the Blues last term, is arguably one of the most promising centre halfs in the league, gaining vast league experience in his stride at the age of 19.

Paul Cook has jumped at the opportunity to resign Clarke, stating that left footed centre backs don't come around often, which suggests that the former Ipswich man has an integral role to play in pushing  for promotion,

LB: Enda Stevens

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Enda Stevens is one of the more experienced Pompey defenders, and made 45 appearances for the club in the last campaign.

The 26-year-old is the only remaining permanent member of the Pompey back 5, having shown real fight and courage last season.

Young Brandon Haunstrup will look to kick on and force a breakthrough into the first team this year, however Stevens' knowledge and experience will see him play a very integral role when leading the Blues from the back this term.

RCM: Carl Baker

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Standby for one of the coups of the summer made by Paul Cook.

Carl Baker played an influential role in taking MK Dons to the second tier for the first time in the club's history, and won Player of the Year in the 2014/15 season in which saw the likes of now England starting midfielder Dele Alli, and the prolific starlets of Will Grigg and Benik Afobe play magnificent roles in the Dons promotion.

The 33-year-old has 386 career appearances under his belt, 42 of those coming from the Dons where he scored an impressive 24 goals from midfield.

Baker is no doubt one of the best signings that League Two has seen thus far, and his presence and firepower in the middle of the park will be a force to be reckoned with this year.

LCM: Danny Rose

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There was a huge gap in midfield last season that was previously occupied by Jed Wallace, a hole not somewhat fulfilled by Cook in his first season at the club. Along with Baker, Danny Rose will have an integral part to play when keeping the ball ticking in Pompey's midfield this campaign.

The 28-year-old is no stranger to promotion, having been in the centre of all of Northampton's fortunes in their record-breaking promotion season last term.

Having been signed by the Cobblers on a 6 month loan deal, he made 15 appearances for them in a run that consisted of 24 games unbeaten.

the midfielder will look to replicate this with the Blues this year, who lacked in stability in midfield last season.

RM: Kyle Bennett

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Bennett was one of many players that was seen as a magnificent signing from all at Portsmouth Football Club last campaign.

The former Doncaster man brings unstoppable pace and flair, which led to him scoring 6 goals in 42 appearances in the 15/16 season.

The 25 year old will look to repeat the blistering form he displayed in the previous season this time around, as many of the Fratton faithful realise that there is still a lot more to be seen in Bennett.

CAM: Gary Roberts

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Just as the famous chant goes, the "Lower League Zidane" certainly made quite a compelling impact on the whole of Portsmouth last season, it would have been a more lasting impact top, if he weren't to sustain multiple injuries throughout the 15/16 season.

Roberts, who was the first signing under Paul Cook's reign, was probably the most impressive coup made by any League Two club last term, reinforced through his goal and assist tally.

the 32 year old made 33 appearances for the Blues in what was an injury-stricken season for the former Chesterfield and Huddersfield man, however for someone of his calibre, he will no doubt be the main catalyst in all of Pompey's successes this term, should he stay injury-free of course.

LM: Milan Lalkovic

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Milan Lalkovic was a massive spearhead in Walsall's promotion ambitions last campaign. The Slovakian made 40 appearances last season in what was his second spell with the Saddlers, who came agonisingly close to going to Wembley after cementing their dominating league position throughout the course of the campaign.

The exciting winger started of his career at Chelsea, spending his first four professional years at the club, fast forward a few more years and many fans across the league see Lalkovic as the most impressive coup made by Cook so far.

Lalkovic adds flair and blistering pace to the Pompey setup, just like his other fellow winger Kyle Bennett, of whom will both terrorise League Two defences this year, and will be seen as an unstoppable force to reckoned with on the left flank.

ST: Conor Chaplin

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Possibly the best youth prospect in the league, Chaplin has been at Pompey ever since graduating into the Blues' academy at the age of 6, and making his profession debut in the 14/15 campaign.

The season where he made an outstanding breakthrough was the last one, however, in a campaign where he made 7 starting appearances and 32 sub appearances, he netted 9 times, staggering for any League Two striker, but especially for the young 19 year old who has been given added competition with the signings of Michael Smith and Curtis Main.

A lifelong Pompey fan, there is no reason why Chaplin cannot continue the form he has displayed in the last couple of years at Fratton Park, he has taken in the gruelling harshness of Sky Bet League Two with ease.

He's "one of their own", and there is no reason why Conor Chaplin cannot be the driving force in Portsmouth's promotion season this term.

So Pompey fans...what do you think? Is this finally the year Portsmouth get promoted? Is Conor Chaplin capable enough to play up front on his own? Have your defensive issues been resolved? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!