Portsmouth FC had iconic Barclays Premier League duo - supporters will wish it lasted more than a season | OneFootball

FLW look back in time at a golden era for Portsmouth FC with Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe under Harry Redknapp.

Portsmouth FC duo Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe were one of the most iconic duos in Premier League history, although Pompey would only get them for a solitary season at Fratton Park.

The traditional “big man, little man” strike partnership has largely fallen out of fashion in modern football. As tactical systems have evolved and pressing, fluid front threes, and inverted forwards have taken over, the classic pairing of a tall, physically dominant target man alongside a smaller, more agile poacher is rarely seen today.

Yet in the 2000s, this combination still had its place, and few strike duos captured the imagination like Crouch and Defoe. They were a nostalgic throwback to this style as a pairing that blended height, power, and aerial prowess with pace, precision, and clinical finishing.

While they were not pioneers of the "big man, little man" dynamic, they revitalised it, embodied it, and were famous for it. That was particularly during their time together at Tottenham Hotspur and Portsmouth, as well as with the England national team as well.

Defoe and Crouch were a deadly duo for Spurs and England

Defoe and Crouch enjoyed several successful spells together throughout their careers, but it was perhaps at Tottenham and with England that they truly showcased the best of their connection at a consistently high level. Crouch, at 6’7”, was the perfect foil for Defoe, who was known for his speed, sharp movement, and deadly finishing.

Defoe could feed off the knockdowns and flick-ons from Crouch, and together, they combined intelligence and instinct. During their time at Spurs, especially in the 2009-10 season, the partnership flourished. Tottenham had a mix of creative midfielders in Luka Modrić, Aaron Lennon, and Niko Kranjčar to supply the duo, and the balance between Crouch’s aerial dominance and Defoe’s sharpness in front of goal gave Spurs a potent attacking threat.

One of the most memorable games where this partnership shone came in the Champions League playoff against Young Boys, where Tottenham needed to overturn a first-leg deficit. Defoe and Crouch started together, with Crouch netting a hat-trick in a 4-0 victory that ensured Spurs reached the group stages of the competition for the first time in their history.

Defoe played an important supporting role, constantly stretching the opposition defence with his movement and off-the-shoulder running. Internationally, they also linked up well, often selected together in squads during the mid-2000s.

Crouch’s height gave England a plan B, while Defoe was one of the best pure finishers in the squad. Although the two were rarely the first-choice pairing, they had some standout moments for the Three Lions. One such occasion came in a 2010 World Cup qualifier against Ukraine, when Fabio Capello started both, showcasing their complementary skill sets on the international stage.

The “Barclays” Era with Defoe and Crouch as Portsmouth’s front two

Arguably, the most memorable season for the Defoe-Crouch partnership, even if not the most prolific, actually came at Portsmouth in 2008-09, during a truly “Barclays” Premier League era at the time. Portsmouth had an exciting squad under Harry Redknapp, with both players working with Redknapp previously and thriving under his attacking, direct style.

That season, Portsmouth's front two was simply vintage big man, little man. Defoe had moved to Fratton Park from Spurs in January 2008 and hit the ground running. The following summer, Crouch was brought back to the South Coast club, and the reunion of the two forwards offered Portsmouth a lethal attacking combination.

Crouch’s ability to pin his opposing centre-back, win aerial duels, and bring others into play allowed Defoe to make the most of his blistering runs in behind and predatory instincts in the box. One of their standout performances came in a 3-0 win over Sunderland in September 2008, where both players scored and demonstrated the full range of their complementary talents.

Pompey's FA Cup win in 2008 over Cardiff City earned them a place in the UEFA Cup (now the Europa League), and although the club did not make it out of the group stage, they were able to create many memories for supporters. Although it was not their best season in terms of their final position in the top-flight, they were two signings in the same year that still create feelings of nostalgia for many.

Defoe latched onto Crouch’s knockdowns, and their intuitive understanding caused havoc for defenders. The duo’s time together at Portsmouth was brief but impactful. It did not take long for the two to form a fantastic partnership, with Crouch scoring seven goals before the turn of the year, while his teammate found the back of the net eight times.

Defoe left in January 2009 to return to Tottenham, briefly cutting short their time together before their eventual reunion, but in the half-season they shared at Pompey, they left a lasting impression.

Portsmouth's squad during that period was filled with memorable players like Sol Campbell, Kranjčar, and Glen Johnson, making it a team that many Premier League fans still look back on with fondness. However, they were two of the most famous players during that time, exemplifying the simpler "Barclays" era for many nostalgic fans.

Portsmouth were in an era of haevy-spending at the time, which would later prove costly, but they bought the taller of the two strikers from Liverpool in a deal worth up to £11 million. It was the then 27-year-old's second term at Fratton Park, after spending a year at the club between 2001 and 2002. Redknapp had brought Defoe to the south coast a few months prior, securing a £9 million deal on deadline day in January 2008.

They may not have played together as long as other iconic partnerships, but when they did, they were the epitome of the big man, little man dynamic. Their ability to bring out the best in each other’s games made them a highly effective duo, providing both Premier League fans and the Fratton Park faithful with some classic moments.

In an era that was beginning to move away from traditional strike partnerships, Crouch and Defoe were a reminder of how simple football can be sometimes; two players using their contrasting strengths to devastating effect. Whether in the colours of Spurs, Portsmouth, or the England national team, they brought back memories of a footballing tradition that has all but disappeared from today’s game.