People talk about the romance of the FA Cup. Little clubs from the shires knocking off the big guys, that sort of thing.

But for Portsmouth the cup has been something of a stormy marriage, the source of much joy and pain.

Today it's all lovey-dovey. Avram Grant's unfancied team has made it through to its second final in three seasons after beating Tottenham 2-0 in extra time on the Wembley bog on Sunday.

Freddie Piquionne pounced to score after Spurs defender Michael Dawson lost his footing and a Kevin-Prince Boateng penalty sealed the win after Peter Crouch had an equalising effort ruled out

So Portsmouth will now face Chlelsea, back at Wembley, in the final on May 15.

After the season Pompey has endured, few would begrudge manager Avram Grant the chance to lead his side out against the team he took over, briefly, from Jose Mourinho.

But there are many, including the team's England goalkeeper David James, who believe the FA Cup triumph against Cardiff in 2008 marked the start of the south coast club's slide into administration, relegation from the Premier League for next season and to the brink of extinction.

James, the lone survivor from two years ago, told The Guardian last week he believed part of the club's woes stem from having had to unexpectedly pay big bonuses to players for qualifying for the UEFA Cup on the back of the FA Cup win.

"I don't think at the beginning of that season anyone like Portsmouth had anticipated getting to the final," James said. "To offer people the opportunity of big bonuses to qualify for Europe seemed like quite a safe bet because you don't anticipate winning the Cup and our league form ... wouldn't have led us to suggesting that we were going to finish in a position to qualify for Europe.

"Had we not won the Cup it probably would have done us a lot better because we wouldn't have qualified for Europe and we would have been able to build on two decent years of progression."

Indeed, player bonuses might yet impinge on Grant's preparations for next month's showpiece. The administrator could decide several players should not play because the club cannot afford to pay them performance-related bonuses.

Portsmouth did manage to stay up last season, finishing 13th. But it had already started to go pear-shaped at Fratton Park.

Harry Redknapp had defected to Tottenham, sparking an exodus of players. Jermain Defoe and Crouch followed him to White Hart Lane, others were sold off.

But despite big money being generated through the sale of players, the club remained in massive debt, to the tune of about $115 million. When Sacha Gaydamak, the Franco-Russian tycoon, sold the club last year, none of his successors seemed to have the means or the stomach to stop the rot and the club went into administration in January.

Next month's final will provide a welcome day in the sunshine for the fans, the players and all connnected with the club - a final flirt with the big boys for some time perhaps before the reality of a less glamorous life in the lower rungs sets in.