Before the transfer window closed, Tony Adams made a double Greek loan signing as Angelos Basinas arrived from AEK Athens for 18 months and Theofanis Gekas joined for the rest of the season from Bayer Leverkusen.
Tony Adams knew he was skating on thin ice and that ice was about to crack in the most dramatic way when title chasing Liverpool came to Fratton Park.
07/02/09: Premier League Matchday #25: Portsmouth 2 Liverpool 3
With Rafael Benitez not playing his big guns, Pompey could have seized their chance for the win after a fruitless first half when David Nugent slotted past Pepe Reina minutes into the second half.
Liverpool were soon on terms after Peter Crouch's poor backpass had to be handled by David James to prevent a tap in. That didn't matter as Fabio Aurelio drilled in Xabi Alonso's lay off the resulting free kick inside the box.
But Pompey once again took the lead when Hermann Hreidarsson headed in Nadir Belhadj's free kick and it looked like Pompey would go on to win if it wasn't for two crucial mistakes with five minutes to go.
Sylvain Distin's failure to cut out a through ball allowed Dirk Kuyt to find plenty of space to fire in an equaliser and then Fernando Torres headed in the winner as the ball went through the palm of David James.
After letting yet another lead slip and with Pompey fans disgruntled at the lack of organisation of the team, the board decided to sack Tony Adams the following day. John Metgod followed him and Paul Hart took temporary charge of the club, bringing in Brian Kidd as his assistant.
The next match was an absolutely vital one as Manchester City came to Fratton Park for the rearranged fixture which fell on Valentines Day.
14/02/09: Premier League Matchday #21 Postponement: Portsmouth 2 Manchester City 0
A poor City side turned up to Portsmouth and gifted Paul Hart a dream start in charge of Pompey. After a cagey first half, the home side took the lead when Glen Johnson's jinking run into the box bamboozled the City defence and although Shay Given saved his initial shot, the England right back lashed in the second.
The lead was doubled when Hermann Hreidarsson headed in Jermaine Pennant's corner five minutes later and City's only response was a point blank header from Ched Evans that James somehow managed to save. It could have been worse for the visitors if they hadn't desperately cleared two efforts late on in the game.
Pompey had won for the first time in nine matches and had also kept a clean sheet meaning the home fans left Fratton Park with optimism for the first time in months. That new hope was carried into a match at the Brittania Stadium for a hugely important clash with Stoke at the bottom of the table.
21/02/09: Premier League Matchday #26: Stoke City 2 Portsmouth 2
After a completely drab first 75 minutes of football this game sprang to life after the only good passage of play in the match. David Nugent and Niko Kranjcar played a neat one-two which allowed the Croat to find space in the box to give Pompey the lead.
However, Stoke were level just a minute later after referee Mike Jones wrongly pointed to the spot after the ball hit Glen Johnson on the shoulder. James "Scummer" Beattie ignored the goading of the Pompey fans to equalise and then he headed in what looked like a winner two minutes later.
But Pompey were not denied a share of the spoils as Hreidarsson smashed in a speculative shot towards goal in stoppage time that deflected off of Ryan Shawcross and past Thomas Sorensen for an own goal.
That point was extremely vital for Pompey who ended the month in a much healthier position than when the month began. There was still much work to be done and many twists to come in March.
Premier League Table on February 28th
12th: Bolton: 30pts
13th: Hull: 29pts
14th: Portsmouth: 28pts
15th: Newcastle: 27pts
16th: Tottenham: 25pts
17th: Stoke: 25pts