Appleton vows to rebuild Portsmouth

Michael Appleton has pledged to rebuild Portsmouth both on and off the pitch following relegation to npower League One.

Pompey's 2-1 defeat to Derby proved meaningless as Bristol City beat Barnsley 2-0 to consign both the south coast club and Coventry to the third tier.

But the Pompey boss feels relegation offers the opportunity to turn the club back into a top-class outfit.

He told the club's official website: "The players have given everything and been competitive.

"They've worked their socks off in the face of so many disappointments.

"But now we've got an opportunity to go and rebuild. And that means rebuilding the infrastructure of the club as well as what's happening on the pitch.

"A lot needs to be changed.

"We can't cope with the wage structure we have at the minute and something has to give, so players have to leave."