Pompey have paid for their first player of the summer by bringing Tommy Smith to Fratton Park for an undisclosed fee reported to be £1.8 million.
I know that fans aren't happy with this signing and believe he won't cut it at Premier League level despite a prolific record in the Championship for Watford where he also chipped in with a good number of assists.
Although I hold my hand up with everyone else and believe he'll not succeed at this level, I'd love to be proved wrong and I'll be 100% behind him as he is playing in a Pompey shirt.
After all, as a fanbase we have been known to be completely wrong about a fair few signings. We all shouted from the rooftops when "past it" Kanu signed and I don't recall many of us wanting Glen Johnson back after an indifferent loan spell in 2006/2007 either.
The news that is overshadowing the signing of Smith is Sylvain Distin's imminent signing for Everton for a fee "above £5 million" according to the media.
Now, £5 million is a huge price to pay for a 31-year-old defender but I believe that Distin is going to be too difficult to replace and we really couldn't afford to let him go. However, there is nothing Hart and Storrie could do to keep him at the club and I'm slightly disappointed in him for leaving, especially as he had the captain's armband.
I now believe we'll go down unless we can find a replacement for Distin before Tuesday which is going to be extremely difficult. He was a cut above the rest of our defenders this season already and without him our defence is going to lack organisation and is going to leak too many goals.
Watford's Mike Williamson and Bolton's Danny Shittu is not the answer so I hope there is an ace up the sleeve of Paul Hart or Peter Storrie otherwise we'll be doomed to the drop.