'I played some of my best football at Portsmouth - thanks to those amazing supporters'
Aiden O’Brien is convinced he played some of the best football of his career at Pompey - thanks to the famous Fratton Park atmosphere.
And he believes the passion of Blues supporters is strikingly similar to those of Millwall, the club where he started his career.
The Irishman struck up an instant rapport with the Fratton faithful in February 2022 when netting with his first touch on his home debut.
The former Sunderland man went on to establish himself as a popular figure on the south coast, with five goals in 17 matches during the second half of the 2021-22 season.
Yet he loved his brief Fratton Park stay, thanks to the supporters.
He told The News: ‘Pompey fans are very passionate, they get behind their team, they’re loud, they love being the 12th man.
‘I felt that, as soon as I went there, I felt that bind straightaway. That feeling I’d been here before and had that connection. It’s very similar to Millwall, where I started out.
‘In my experience, it’s very, very rare you find that in football. The feeling you get is quite instant, it's not a slow burner, you either hear it and feel it straightaway or you’re not going to feel it.
‘I felt it straight away at Millwall and I felt it straight away at Pompey. That's probably why I played my best football at both places.
‘Scoring in your first game at Fratton Park always helps! But everything clicked at Pompey. A lot of the time it takes time for the players to gel and get going, to familiarise new football clubs and new surroundings - but not there or Millwall.
‘I didn't have any trouble settling in and finding my feet and form, which just goes to show that those two teams are very similar. The fanbase is similar, the staff were similar, the players were similar - and that is why I have played my best football at those clubs.’
O’Brien came through the ranks at Millwall, making his debut in September 2011 as a substitute in a 5-0 Carling Cup defeat at Wolves.
He went on to score 44 goals in 226 appearances for the Lions, while was part of the side which beat Bradford in the League One play-off final at Wembley in 2017.
He later played for Sunderland, Pompey, Shrewsbury, Gillingham, Sutton United and Shelbourne - and is currently with national league Woking.
O’Brien added: ‘I know what it takes to get the best out of me - and the fans play a big part in that. Honestly, the feeling you get when you walk out at Fratton, what a buzz. You don’t get that at many stadiums.
‘I got the same at Millwall. I know I keep comparing both clubs but they are very, very similar. It’s the fanbase, the stadium and noise they make.
‘Club-wise, I really haven’t felt that buzz anywhere else to date.’
For Your Next Pompey Read: Aiden O’Brien - I’ve not smiled much since my Pompey love affair ended