Pompey boss details what lies ahead for next wave of homegrown talent after spate of exits
Danny Cowley believes the right pathways have been found for the next set of emerging Pompey hopes.
A flurry of exits means temporary homes away from Fratton Park have now been secured for all the young players in the Blues’ senior ranks.
Promising striker Dan Gifford this week joined National League South outfit Weymouth on loan, after a pre-season where he picked up plenty of Pompey minutes.
Meanwhile, Harry Jewitt-White has already got among the goals after moving to Gosport Borough in the Southern League.
There’s also been successful starts for Alfie Bridgman and Toby Steward after agreeing loan stints at Bognor Regis.
Bridgman got the winner as Steward kept a clean sheet in the Isthmian premier division side’s 1-0 opening-day win against Hornchurch, before they came back to draw 2-2 at Cray Wanderers last night.
With Liam Vincent in the National League with Maidstone and Haji Mnoga earmarked for a League Two loan, Cowley think the youngsters are now set up to make progress.
He said: ‘It was great to see Alfie Bridgman and Toby Steward have a great start with our friends at Bognor.
‘Toby kept a clean sheet and Alf scored the winning goal.
‘Harry Jewitt-White has gone on loan to Gosport Borough, and again it’s been great to help out our friends at Gosport. I think he will be a brilliant signing for them.
‘Liam Vincent is obviously out at Maidstone.
‘Then there’s Dan Gifford who’s gone to Weymouth. These are good loans for these boys to develop’
The Emsworth lad had already been to Weymouth in pre-season, however, scoring in a warm-up game as well as against Barnet for Pompey.
Cowley added: ‘That move is great for Dan and there’s a lot of clubs who have been interested in him.
‘We just felt that Weymouth were really strong with their interest.
‘He’d had a couple of training sessions there in pre-season and played in a pre-season game.
‘(Manager) David Oldfield did a brilliant job with Haji Mnoga when he went there last season, so we have a lot of trust in him.
‘That’s great for our young players and I think we’ve chosen good pathways for them to take the next step in their careers.’