No permanent homecoming for former Barnsley, Luton and Charlton man after answering Portsmouth SOS
The free-agent pair accompanied the Blues on their Fota Island training camp in July
It was an ex-Pompey youth-team centre-half and a former Gainsborough Trinity regular who answered the SOS to fill John Mousinho’s goalkeeping vacancies.
Now Daniel Bielica has ended the Blues’ summer search for a stopper - and training stand-ins Harry Isted and David Robson are seeking career opportunities elsewhere.
With Josef Bursik ruled out until the end of August through the quad injury sustained at Stoke last season, Pompey were left short of training goalkeepers upon their pre-season return.
Goalkeeping coach Joe Prodomo and his bulging contacts book came up with a temporary resolution, identifying two free agents to help out.
Subsequently, Isted and Robson trained alongside Nicolas Schmid and Ben Killip, having accompanied Pompey on their week-long training camp at Fota Island, Cork, earlier this month.
Now, with Bielica bolstering goalkeeping numbers, the pair have moved on, with Isted attempting to win a deal at Colchester and pencilled in to start against Charlton in a friendly tonight.
Same Pompey youth-team as Conor Chaplin and Brandon Haunstrup
Certainly Isted was well-acquainted with the Blues before his summer stint. Hailing from Selsey, he started his career at Fratton Park in the same team as Conor Chaplin, Brandon Haunstrup and Josh Sims, albeit initially as a centre-half.
At the age of 10, though, he was converted into a goalkeeper, upon the recommendation of first-team goalkeeping coach Dave Coles.
However, the Chichester High School For Boys pupil left Pompey for Southampton at the age of 13 and went on to represent Luton, Charlton, Barnsley and Burton in the Football League.
Notably, he starred for Barnsley in their League One play-off final defeat against Sheffield Wednesday in May 2023, earning plaudits for his display in the 1-0 extra-time defeat.
More recently, Isted made 30 appearances for Forest Green Rovers last season, where they lost in the National League play-offs to Boreham Wood having finished seventh in the table.
Former Wales Under-21 international
Meanwhile, Robson is a 24-year-old Wales Under-21 international who starred for non-league Gainsborough Trinity in 2025-26.
Having helped them finish seventh in the Northern Premier League, the goalkeeper’s performances were recognised with the Players’ Player Of The Season, Manager’s Player Of The Season and Directors’ Player Of The Season.
Robson started his career at Hull, where he was loaned out to the likes of Stocksbridge Park Steels, Tadcaster Albion, Farsley Celtic, Crawley and Darlington.
He joined Rochdale in September 2024, making nine appearances, before moving to Alfreton in National League North and then finishing the season with Gainsborough on a short-team deal.
Last summer, he extended his stay with the Holy Blues to include the 2025-26 season, where the goalkeeper excelled, before departing seeking further challenges.
Although, despite both have worked with Pompey this season, it appears their futures will not be at Fratton Park.