This season Prostate Cancer UK is the official charity of The Football League. To celebrate, we've asked bloggers from each of the 72 clubs to count down their top five strikers to have worn the No9 shirt, in recognition of the fact that prostate cancer affects one in nine men.

Up Pompey: Paul Walsh was a fans' favourite at Fratton Park. Photo courtesy of Action Images

 

Here writer and broadcaster Luke Moore, from thefootballramble.com, selects Portsmouth's five best No9s… and one to forget!

5. Svetoslav Todorov (2002-07)
In 2003 Portsmouth returned to the top flight for the first time since 1987 and the man they called Toddy was a huge part of their promotion campaign. Unquestionably the best striker in the Championship that season, the goal-poaching Bulgarian finished as top scorer with 26 goals, taking advantage of Paul Merson's guile and craft. Unable to make a real impression in the Premier League, he will always be remembered for securing Pompey's promotion with a lovely striker's finish in front of the Fratton End and promptly jumping straight into the crowd. Magic.

4. Peter Crouch (2001-02 & 2008-09)
A £1.5m purchase from relegated QPR in 2001, Peter Crouch truly announced his arrival in English football with a great season at Fratton Park and was the only player in the side able to really take advantage of Robert Prosinecki's genius. The lanky striker scored 19 goals in all competitions that season and managed to score 16 on his return to the club in 2008, including some memorable goals in the UEFA Cup - the first time Portsmouth had competed in proper European competition.

3. Steve Claridge (1998-2001)
Local lad Steve Claridge won the hearts and minds of the Fratton faithful after initially impressing on loan from Leicester, and it was his tireless running and knack of scoring an important goal that did it. Treated appallingly by Milan Mandaric after being handed the managerial reins and promptly having them taken from him after just a handful of games, he left in fairly acrimonious circumstances, but is always guaranteed a welcome reception upon his return to the ground as a fan. Inducted into the Portsmouth Hall of Fame earlier this year, he still plies his trade upfront for local team Gosport Borough at the age of 46.

2. Mark Hateley (1983-84)
An utterly devastating striker in the air, Mark Hateley was snapped up by manager Bobby Campbell from Coventry City in 1983 after Pompey were promoted to Division Two. A steal at £190,000, the England Under-21 striker was an instant hit on the south coast, notching up 22 league goals, including two hat-tricks, in his solitary season at the club. Sadly, Pompey were absolutely dreadful at the back and finished a disappointing 16th that year, but Hateley's performances in the blue and white, along with his starring role in England's junior side, saw him secure a move to European giants AC Milan for a huge (at the time) £1m at the end of the season regardless. He later went on to play for Arsène Wenger at Monaco, but it's that one season he led the line for the Blues that ensures he'll never have to buy a pint in the many pubs of Portsmouth ever again.

1. Paul Walsh (1992-94 & 1995-97)
In the 1992-93 season Guy Whittingham scored 42 league goals for Portsmouth and 48 in all competitions. Yet he didn't win the fans' player of the year award. Paul Walsh did. That should be a crystal-clear indication of just how good the jinky, skilful forward signed from Spurs for £400,000 was for Portsmouth. The highlight of his Pompey career was undoubtedly his performance in a 2-2 draw in a League Cup fifth-round tie at Old Trafford in 1994, in which he was unplayable all afternoon against the eventual Premier League champions and scored both goals to force a replay down on the south coast. Sold to Man City at the end of the 1994 season for £750,000, he was to return for a season in 1995, but a serious knee injury put paid to his career at the age of just 33.

And the worst…
Ian Baird (1987-88)
When Portsmouth were promoted to the old First Division in 1987, they needed a striker to fire them to enough wins to secure their top-flight status. Enter Ian Baird. Signed for £285,000 from Leeds United, where he had enjoyed a decent goalscoring stint, he was nothing short of an unmitigated disaster. Spending the majority of his time on the pitch on his backside, he managed to score just one goal in 20 league appearances and was shipped back up to Elland Road at the earliest opportunity. Pompey were relegated back to the second flight after finishing 19th and Baird proved the scapegoat. The burly man from Rotherham ended his career in the Hong Kong second division, and a few of the more unkind Portsmouth fans would still argue that was probably his true level. 

Follow Luke on Twitter @lukeymoore