Ex-Portsmouth pair gunning to use Manchester United to get stalled careers back on track
Two former Pompey players are pinning their hopes on Manchester United helping kick-start their stalled football careers.
Kieron Freeman and Aiden O’Brien have unsuccessfully been searching for new clubs this summer following their release.
While the 30-year-old O’Brien departed Shrewsbury, Freeman has been without a team since a short-term deal at Oldham ended in January.
Indeed, the latter has made just 10 appearances since leaving Fratton Park in the summer of 2023, following an injury-hit two years on the south coast.
The pair have been attending the PFA’s pre-season training camp, with the innovative 10-week course aimed at getting free agent footballers back into the game.
And, as part of the scheme, an 18-man squad will face Manchester United Under-21s this afternoon in a behind-closed-doors fixture.
Freeman and O’Brien will both be involved in the match, along with the likes of Liam Ridehalgh, Anthony Stewart, Ravel Morrison and Hakeeb Adelakun.
Hosted at Altrincham’s J Davidson Stadium, those taking part will be aiming to catch the eye of scouts in attendance and earn the opportunity to find a new home.
A second PFA squad last night faced Stratford Town in a friendly played in front of a crowd which finished 3-3.
Another ex-Pompey player in Milan Lalkovic featured, along with Marko Marosi, Nesta Guinness-Walker, TJ Eyoma, Ciaran Clark and Romaine Sawyers.
With the Football League campaign kicking off on Saturday, time is ticking for those involved to get clubs in time for the season’s start although, as free agents, they can sign at any time.
In the case of former Blues defender Freeman, he’s aiming to get his career back on track following a difficult three years.
He was signed by Danny Cowley in July 2021 after his release by Championship Swansea, yet would make just 26 appearances in two years on the south coast.
Just eight of those outings came in his favoured right-back role as Cowley largely utilised him as a right-sided central defender in a back three.
Freeman also suffered misfortune in February 2022 when he collected a freak injury at Oxford United - dislocating an ankle while collapsing to the ground unconscious following a ball in the face.
He never played under John Mousinho, despite being named in three of his opening six fixtures in charge, and was released in the summer of 2023 when his contract expired.
The former Sheffield United man trialled at Mansfield and Oxford, yet it was National League Oldham, then managed by ex-Pompey defender David Unsworth, who handed him a short-term deal until January 2024.
As for O’Brien, he made a favourable Pompey impact in the second half of the 2021-22 campaign, scoring five times in 17 appearances after arriving from Sunderland.
However, a new contract couldn’t be agreed after his short-term deal expired in the summer of 2022 and the striker has since featured for Shrewsbury, Gillingham and Sutton United, yet suffered with injury.
Now the pair are hoping to impress against Manchester United and earn another shot at football.