Released twice in six months by Portsmouth and now facing them in a friendly - the Waterlooville lad who never gave up
The Waterlooville lad made two appearances for the Blues - and also scored on his debut
Josh Flint serves as an inspiration, admirably bouncing back after being released by Pompey twice in six months.
And on Saturday, the central defender will face the club he supports as he continues to carve out a professional football career, irrespective of those devastating set-backs.
The 24-year-old is heading into his second Crawley season, having returned to England following four successful years with Dutch side Volendam, including featuring regularly in the Eredivisie.
Yet in January 2020, the former Crookhorn School pupil was without a club, having been released by Kenny Jackett following two first-team outings.
Remarkably, five months later, he was handed his Blues debut in a Leasing.com Trophy encounter against Norwich, with Jackett selecting him for the number 10 role.
The former Fratton End season-ticket holder responded by scoring and also claiming an assist in a 3-1 triumph in that September 2019 fixture.
‘Breaking my arm was the best thing which happened to me’
Flint, who hails from Waterlooville, told The News in February 2023: ‘At the end of my scholarship I was told I wouldn't be getting a third year, I was too small among other things,’ he added.
‘However, as I had broken my right arm and couldn’t play for the last two or three months of the season, I was given an extension to cover that time missed.
‘It happened in the gym, a complete accident. At the time it was heartbreaking, you’re at that point in your career with a big decision coming up, it felt like a set-back, it was a set-back.
‘With hindsight, though, breaking my arm was probably the best thing that happened to me. Talk about every cloud having a silver lining.
‘I spent the summer getting fit and returned for the start of pre-season a completely different person, literally. I’d grown a lot, built into my body. Before that summer I was pretty small, around 5ft 7in, but not when I came back! Nowadays I’m 6ft 2in.
‘I don’t think there was ever the carrot of a new contract being dangled should I impress in that extension, it was just about giving me extra time because of my injury.
‘In my own mind, the idea was to use that extension to get fit so maybe I could trial at non-league clubs and be fitter than most of the boys there who hadn’t had a full pre-season with a professional football club.
‘Fortunately, I impressed enough to stay beyond my extension, getting a short-term deal, and then making my first-team debut.’
Flint was an attacking midfielder through his Academy years, whose age group included Harry Kavanagh, Bradley Lethbridge, Haji Mnoga, Joe Hancott and Ethan Robb.
Carving out a career in Holland
Yet after joining former Academy team-mate Leon Maloney at Volendam in October 2020, he was converted into a left-side centre-half and went on to make 57 appearances in their first-team, including winning promotion to the top flight in April 2022.
Then, in the summer of 2024, Flint opted to return to England and signed for Crawley on a two-year deal.
Featuring on the left of a back three, he swiftly established himself as one of the League One club’s leading performers and an early contender for player of the season recognition.
However, in October 2024, Flint sustained medical cruciate ligament damage to a knee during a 3-0 defeat at Northampton, putting him out of action for five months.
After returning in March, Flint went on to total 20 matches in his maiden Crawley season and is now enjoying a strong pre-season as he looks to reclaim his regular spot under Scott Lindsey.
And on Saturday, he Flint and his team-mates will host a Pompey side stepping up their pre-season opposition, following comfortable wins over Woking and Farnborough this week.
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