Conor Chaplin and the phone call which helped bring him back to Portsmouth from Ipswich Town
Conor Chaplin talks THAT call with Marlon Pack and why emotional connection with Pompey wasn’t enough alone for return to Fratton Park from Portman Road.
Conor Chaplin has lifted the lid on the late-night phone call which brought him back to Pompey.
And the returning Blues hero made it clear his emotional Fratton Park homecoming was not a decision made on sentiment alone, after an impressive return in the south-coast derby.
Chaplin on Pack call: ‘I was coming back from a Coldplay gig!’
Chaplin shone as he helped John Mousinho's men make a mockery of the being big outsiders against Southampton, a 0-0 draw at St Mary's Stadium being the least his team deserved for their endeavour.
The sight of one of our own back in royal blue was one few of the Fratton Faithful anticipated ahead of the window's close, before Pompey completed arguably the Championship deal of deadline day to bring back the academy graduate.
Skipper Marlon Pack turned super agent for his side in a chat with his new team-mate, who had plenty of Championship options to consider.
Chaplin was returning from a Coldplay concert at Wembley Stadium, when he sought counsel from Pack in a 40-minute call.
He said: 'I was on the way back from a Coldplay gig!
‘I was speaking to Marlon for ages on the way home.
'I know enough people now to speak to a lot of those who know for information.
'I’ve always been able to talk to the lads who were here, and been able to stay across what’s happening at the football club.
'I care about the club as well, so I like to know what’s going on.
'In terms of Marlon, he’s someone I’ve never played with but we’re mutual friends with Adam Webster.
'So there was that and being Pompey boys we’ve kept in touch.'
Part of Chaplin's discussion with Pack, and part of his thinking over a Pompey return, was how he believed he could work under Mousinho at Fratton Park.
Though the Worthing-born player's affinity with the Blues is well established, he made it clear he wouldn't have returned if he didn't feel he had alignment with his new boss.
Chaplin added: 'It made a difference, I wouldn’t have come back if I didn’t feel like the way the team was set up or the manager couldn’t get the best out of me.
'I wouldn’t have come back. What would’ve been the point? I want this club to have the best of me.
'I felt like the team and they way he sets up is definitely going to give me chances to affect the team in a positive way.
'That’s definitely something which was in my decision making, I’m someone who thinks about football a lot.
'I wouldn’t have made the decision on pure emotion, definitely not, because you don’t always end up where you need to be that way.
'But I did what I did - and now I’m here.'