Former Pompey defender Tom McIntyre has been speaking about life as a free agent

Tom McIntyre retains confidence in his ability despite remaining without a club.

The former Pompey defender admitted he fully accepts his stock is low at the moment following a frustrating period in his career that has seen the 27-year-old let go by the Blues, Bradford and Aberdeen, and turned down by Blackpool and Wigan following trials.

Yet the centre-back, who is currently training with the under-21s at former club Reading, believes he still has what it takes to earn himself a deal at an EFL club.

‘It's tough to be honest’, said McIntyre in an interview with BBC Berkshire as he remains a free agent.

‘It's like with anything, you go through ups and downs. Some days I'm positive about it and think, “yeah, this will all work out in the end”. And then others, I'm not so positive.

‘But I think also, I watch games at the weekend and see players sign here and sign there, and I think to myself: “that could be me and I'm better than that player”.

‘It's not an arrogant thing. It's more just I back myself and am confident in my own ability.

‘But like anything, life isn't fair, and I'm waiting for that opportunity to come up and, yeah, sort of get my name back out there and play some games and show what I can do again.

‘I think my career the last few years since I left Reading hasn't really gone how I'd have liked it to. There's been a lot of different reasons, but I'm looking to try and just put that behind me now and kick on and sort of restart my career in a sense.’

McIntyre swapped boyhood club Reading for a move to Pompey in January 2024.

And it’s fair to say that the switch has contributed to his current issues.

He broke his ankle and was sent off on his debut for the Blues. Meanwhile, the defender was brutally axed from the squad just 10 games into his Fratton Park comeback the following season.

Loan spells at Charlton and Bradford failed to resurrect his career. Nor did a short-term move to Scottish Premiership Aberdeen, whom McIntyre joined following the mutual termination of his Fratton Park contract in February of this year.

‘Football forgets you quickly and, yeah, you just got to get your head around that,’ added McIntyre, who featured five times for the Dons over the second half of last season.

‘I understand how your stock rises and sort of falls and at the minute maybe my stock's not as high as I'd like it to be, but I still back myself and don't believe I'm a bad player because of that.’

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