How unlikely Portsmouth secret weapon won transfer battle - and left Peterborough's Darragh MacAnthony fuming
The Northern Ireland Under-21 international has scored one goal in his four Pompey appearances
He was Pompey’s unlikely secret weapon in persuading Makenzie Kirk that Fratton Park would be the perfect destination.
Now Toby Steward can list transfer negotiator to his many talents as the highly-promising goalkeeper continues to flourish north of the border.
Struggling Peterborough were left fuming after being beaten by the Blues to the signature of the sought-after 21-year-old St Johnstone striker on transfer deadline day.
Yet, according to Rich Hughes, Pompey had the benefit of the on-loan Steward in the Scottish Championship club’s camp and a team-mate of Kirk.
It was through Steward’s intervention that the Northern Ireland Under-21 international was convinced that joining the Championship Blues under John Mousinho was his best option.
And last week, Kirk registered his maiden Pompey goal, while also reached the landmark of a first Championship start.
Portsmouth chief: Toby helped us get it over the line
Sporting director Hughes told The News: ‘Toby helped us get Makenzie Kirk over the line. Obviously we spoke to Makenzie - and Toby was able to back up a lot of what we had said about the football club. Which really helped.
‘Toby really liked his work-rate and liked his character. Makenzie also knows Terry (Devlin) through the Northern Ireland youth set-up.
‘Mackenzie went to speak to Toby when he had the potential of coming to us or going to another club in League One towards the bottom (Peterborough). Toby was able to back up a lot of what we said.
‘It was a case of “It’s not just John and Rich telling you these things”. This is what this group is, this is what they believe, this is what they do.
‘That gave Makenzie that reassurance he was looking for to know this would be the right place for him to continue his development.’
St Johnstone team-mates for seven matches
Steward moved to St Johnstone on a season-long loan in July in search of continued first-team football to bolster his encouraging development.
He made his debut in the Scottish League Cup at East Kilbride in the same side as Kirk, who would net in their 3-1 success.
They would total seven matches as team-mates, before the four-goal striker clinched a move to Fratton Park on September’s deadline day, reportedly worth £500,000.
That outcome frustrated Peterborough owner Darragh MacAnthony who, speaking on the Hard Truth podcast, referred to his club’s unsuccessful pursuit of Kirk.
‘I can’t mention clubs or names, but I was buying pretty much the EFL leading goal-scorer. I did a deal to sign him. But my gaffer spoke to a few people and ended up he didn’t want me to do the deal.
‘I did a deal for a boy outside the English league (Kirk), but his agent and his dad (Andy Kirk) wanted him to go and sit on the bench somewhere else outside our league.
‘And where we are in the league didn’t help. That’s two days in a row.’
Kirk has now made four appearances for Pompey, including starting last weekend’s 1-0 defeat to Stoke at Fratton Park.
Days earlier, he opened his Blues goal account in a 2-1 defeat to Coventry, having come off the bench against the Championship leaders.
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