Bouncing back from Fratton heartbreak - Portsmouth player who nearly was toasts Wembley glory
The goalkeeper also played for Arsenal, Coventry and Barnsley
The Pompey goalkeeper-that-almost-was is celebrating promotion to League One.
Corey Addai lined-up for Crawley in their 2-0 triumph over Crewe in the League Two play-off final this afternoon.
That achievement capped a superb season for the 26-year-old ex-Arsenal, Barnsley and Coventry man, who has made 45 appearances for Scott Lindsey’s team this term.
Yet three years ago he was about to join Pompey, only for the deal to be scuppered through awful luck.
Addai arrived on trial in the summer of 2021 and also attended the Blues’ week-long training camp at St George’s Park, impressing head coach Danny Cowley and goalkeeping coach Michael Poke.
As a consequence, the goalkeeper was lined up to become the Blues’ number three keeper, behind Manchester City loanee Gavin Bazunu and Alex Bass.
However, with a contract on the table, the towering keeper sustained an injury during pre-season action - and it was subsequently pulled by head coach Danny Cowley.
Addai had featured in three friendlies that summer - the Hawks, Burton and Bristol City - on each occasion as a second-half substitute for Bass.
His last outing was in a 120-minute game behind-closed-doors at City, when the Blues drew 3-3 at The Robins High Performance Centre.
Then injury struck and, with Pompey unwilling to wait for his recovery, instead pulled the deal and brought in Peterborough’s Dan Gyollai on trial.
Addai later joined Esbjerg fB in September 2021 on a 12-month deal and featured four times in the Danish First Division, while was unused from the bench on another 15 occasions.
After the culmination of the season, which ended in relegation, he was among eight players released and returned to England seeking his next challenge.
He signed for Crawley in July 2022 on a two-year deal following a successful trial and has since established himself as their number one, totalling 78 matches.
And next season, he will be lining up for Crawley in League One following their Wembley joy.