Football Season Guide

Portsmouth

In


Will Norris (Goalkeeper, Burnley); Conor Shaughnessy (Defender, Burton Albion); Jack Sparkes (Defender, Exeter City); Regan Poole (Defender, Lincoln City); Anthony Scully (Midfielder, Wigan Athletic); Ben Stevenson (Midfielder, Forest Green Rovers); Gavin Whyte (Midfielder, Cardiff City); Terry Devlin (Midfielder, Glentoran); Christian Saydee (Attacker, AFC Bournemouth); Kusini Yengi (Attacker, Western Sydney Wanderers)

Out


Matt Macey (r) (Goalkeeper, Luton Town, Loan ended); Clark Robertson (r) (Defender, FC Ashdod); Di’Shon Bernard (sp) (Defender, Manchester United, Loan ended); Kieron Freeman (Defender, Mansfield Town); Alfie Bridgman (Midfielder, Eastbourne Borough); Jay Mingi (Midfielder, released); Louis Thompson (sp) (Midfielder, Stevenage); Michael Jacobs (sp) (Midfielder, released); Owen Dale (r) (Midfielder, Blackpool, Loan ended); Reeco Hackett-Fairchild (sp) (Midfielder, Lincoln City); Ryan Tunnicliffe (sp) (Midfielder, released); Dan Gifford (Attacker, released); Dane Scarlett (sp) (Attacker, Tottenham Hotspur, Loan ended); Jayden Reid (Attacker, released); Joe Pigott (sp) (Attacker, Ipswich Town, Loan ended)

There is a real sense of opportunity on the South Coast ahead of the new season. With it comes increased pressure as Portsmouth look to mount a concerted promotion challenge. It’s a big ask for rookie boss John Mousinho, who replaced Danny Cowley back in January. He was unable to turn the ship around, failing to mount a late challenge for the play-offs but there were some encouraging signs. It has also given him six months to get a handle on the task in hand and he has been busy this summer; shipping out the dead wood and strengthening his squad for an expected challenge for automatic promotion. League One has lost a couple of giants in Ipswich Town and Sheffield Wednesday whilst two of the three sides relegated from the Championship are in a mess. Will Norris has signed a permanent deal with Pompey having relied on loan goalkeepers for the past two seasons. Versatile defender Regan Poole had an outstanding season with Lincoln City and was linked with Championship clubs. Gavin Whyte played in the Championship with Cardiff City last season and brings plenty of creativity. Colby Bishop bagged 20 goals last season and the striker will be integral to their promotion hopes. He will be looking to form a partnership with one of a pair of untested new additions in Christian Saydee and Kusini Yengi. Mousinho appears to have done his business early this summer and they will need to hit the ground running at the start of the new campaign. Fans will be demanding promotion and the pressure will be dialled up to eleven.

Target


Automatic promotion If not now, when? is the question Pompey fans will be asking. This is their opportunity and they need to take it.