It all started with a New Year's Day trip to Reading.
01/01/08: Premier League Matchday #21: Reading 0 Pompey 2
Pompey received the best hangover cure possible at the Madjeski Stadium despite a poor start to the game. Ibrahima Sonko tripped Benjani in the box and was given his marching orders but Niko Kranjcar struck his spot kick against the post.
The away side did take the lead soon after as Marcus Hahnemann fumbled a cross which gave Sol Campbell the opportunity to bundle the ball home and give us the lead.
Pompey kept the ball well for the majority of the game and finished Reading off in the second half when John Utaka beat Nicky Shorey to a long ball and then took the ball past Hahnemann to slot into an empty net to cap a good start to 2008.
It was them time to travel to Portman Road to begin a memorable FA Cup run that nobody predicted back when the balls were first picked from the velvet bag.
05/01/08: FA Cup Round #3: Ipswich Town 0 Pompey 1
After a slow start the game came to life after Liam Trotter was harshly dismissed by Mark Halsey for a challenge on Pedro Mendes that wasn't really very dangerous at all. Despite that, the ten men of Ipswich created the best chance at the end of the half as Glen Johnson deflected a close range shot over the bar.
The second half swung in our favour though after David Nugent chased a long ball, got on the end of it and fired past Neil Alexander for the opener. Nuge could have had another but his volley unluckily hit the crossbar then John Utaka somehow managed to fail to tap in a cross from two yards which would have finished it.
Instead Ipswich bombed forward in the final ten minutes and we had David James to thank for two brilliant saves; one a close range header from Alan Lee and the other from Danny Haynes in stoppage time. Pompey had weathered the storm and would go on to draw Plymouth at home in the next round.
Pompey made their first two signings of the season as youth prospects Danijel Subotic and Adda Djeziri from FC Basel and Boldklubben Frem respectively.
Africans Sulley Muntari, Papa Bouba Diop, John Utaka and Kanu all then departed for the African Nations Cup but the biggest news would be that Harry Redknapp was heavily linked to the vacant Newcastle United managerial post following Sam Allardyce's sacking.
It looked a certainty that 'Arry would leave his home and give his career one last push at a "big club" having failed to land the role of England manager. However, Redknapp announced the following Saturday that he would be staying at Portsmouth as he wanted to continue to build something special at the club and this decision is possibly one of the best choices he has made in his life.
The whole saga coupled with having a squad decimated by injuries and absentees meant a tough time at the Stadium Of Light the following day.
13/01/08: Premier League Matchday #22: Sunderland 2 Pompey 0
The weaknesses of Pompey's squad were highlighted in this game as although Benjani missed a great chance to give us the lead, terrible defending meant we suffered a defeat following a pathetic performance.
Kenwyne Jones outmuscled Sol Campbell who stood still waiting for the whistle to blow but it didn't and Jones squared to Kieran Richardson who put the ball in the net. Some more terrible defending allowed Richardson enough time to slot in a second and he might have had a hat-trick if it wasn't for the crossbar.
Benjani had two excellent opportunities to pull a goal back but made a mess of things in what was a forgettable game for him and the rest of the team.
Harry Redknapp knew he had to strengthen the squad and he did just that by making one of the signings of the season by bringing Lassana Diarra to Pompey for a bargain £5 million from Arsenal.
As one came in, one went out and Pompey fans said a sad farewell to Matthew Taylor who joined Bolton in search of first team football. His commitment to the Pompey cause and his wondergoals will be missed.
Harry did some more wheeling and dealing as Lucien Aubey arrived on loan from RC Lens whilst Djimi Traore was loaned out to Rennes. Pompey fans then hoped that the barren run at Fratton Park would come to an end as the worst team in Premier League history came to town.
19/01/07: Premier League Matchday #23: Pompey 3 Derby County 1
The whole of Fratton Park was stunned as Laurent Robert's early free kick was headed across goal and Lewin Nyatanga scored from close range. Kenny Miller could have doubled the visitors' lead if it wasn't for some desperate defending.
Parity was eventually restored as Pompey pulled their thumbs out and Benjani rifled in an equaliser after turning the Derby defence in the box and the Zimbabwean then turned the game on its head by heading in Hermann Hreidarsson's cross just before the break.
In the second half Benjani completed his hat-trick as some neat interplay with Pedro Mendes saw a great passing move from one end of the pitch to the other finished with aplomb. The Rams might have pulled one back but Giles Barnes was denied twice and Pompey held on for their first home win since September 2007!
After that win it was time to turn our attention to the FA Cup again for a battle of the dockyards.
26/01/08: FA Cup Round #4: Pompey 2 Plymouth Argyle 1
The Premier League side went a goal down early on after Lee Clark turned in a cross and many home supporters seemed more interested in Havant & Waterlooville's exploits at Anfield than this scrappy affair.
Pompey equalised via Lassana Diarra's deflected drive and then took the lead after Niko Kranjcar tapped in following some confusion in the Argyle box.
Plymouth tried their hardest in search of an equaliser and probably should have had a penalty after what looked like a clear handball by Distin in the box. We escaped that claim and ended up escaping the game having grinded out a result we hardly deserved on balance of play.
A trip to Deepdale was reward for that effort as Preston North End awaited us in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
Milan Baros then joined Pompey on loan from Lyon and linked up with the squad who faced the daunting trip up to Old Trafford.
30/01/08: Premier League Matchday #24: Manchester United 2 Pompey 0
United strolled to victory thanks to two goals from Cristiano Ronaldo. The first came after he was played in on the left and he slotted in with ease and then minutes later a simply sublime free kick doubled their lead as Pompey could never get into the game.
The Red Devils should have won by more goals and things got even worse as Sylvain Distin suffered a hamstring injury. Still, we'd be back for our revenge in March...
Transfer deadline day saw the much speculated and anticipated arrival of Jermain Defoe from Tottenham for £9 million. There would be a bigger price to pay for that as although Benjani didn't want to leave, he was somewhat forced to join Manchester City to recuperate and after a saga, he joined them for an initial £3.87 million.
So after an extremely eventful month at Portsmouth Football Club we ended January in 9th position but more importantly we had navigated our way through two tough ties into the fifth round of the FA Cup.
Premier League Table on January 31st
7th: Liverpool - 40pts
8th: Blackburn - 38pts
9th: Portsmouth - 37pts
10th: West Ham - 36pts
11th: Tottenham - 28pts