Controversial ex-Portsmouth and Charlton man handed non-league lifeline in bid to get career back on track
The former triallist made 29 appearances and scored once for the Blues
The career of a controversial former Pompey player has taken another significant turn after ending up in non-league.
Jay Mingi rejected a new Fratton Park deal in the summer of 2023, with the Blues angered over the conduct of the highly-rated midfielder and his advisor.
Now he has turned out for his third club of the 2025-26 campaign, having made a loan switch to Forest Green Rovers in search of regular football.
It has been another season of set-backs for the 25-year-old, who, during his time at Pompey was once talked up for Championship moves to Birmingham, West Brom and Blackburn.
Instead, after leaving the south coast, he has gone on to feature for Colchester, Stockport, Crewe and now National League Rovers.
Loan cancelled at Crewe
Certainly Mingi has never fulfilled the talent glimpsed by the Fratton faithful which prompted the tabling of a three-year deal under Danny Cowley, primarily through injury and fitness issues.
Out of favour at Stockport at the start of the current campaign, he joined Crewe on a season-long loan in September with the opportunity for first-team football.
However, after just two League Two starts and a total of nine appearances, the arrangement was cancelled at the halfway point this month.
Mingi has subsequently joined Forest Green’s promotion push, with the sixth-placed side managed by former Leicester City and Derby man Robbie Savage.
After signing him last week, Savage told BBC Radio Gloucestershire: ‘Dynamism, power pace, great individual, met him yesterday and he fits right into our group.
‘Wants to get better, wants to play football, he will add so much to our team on the defensive side but also in the attacking sense.’
Mingi was immediately handed a start in Saturday’s clash with promotion rivals Scunthorpe, only for Forest Green to lose 3-2.
Featuring for 66 minutes, it represented the former Charlton’s man 10th league start since April 2024 - and only his 11th outing overall this season.
Yet he will be hoping the non-league game can finally provide a run of matches after just 42 Football League appearances since leaving Fratton Park under John Mousinho two-and-a-half years ago.
Joined Pompey in September 2021 after a trial
Mingi made 29 appearances and scored once during two seasons at Fratton Park, having been snapped up by Cowley in September 2021 following a successful trial.
There were some eye-catching displays from the powerful midfielder, persuading the Blues to offer a three-year deal in 2022.
According to Mingi’s agent in a previous interview with The News, in January 2023 the Blues turned down three bids from three League One clubs, including Charlton. He had also been linked with Birmingham, West Brom and Blackburn.
However, having been injured upon John Mousinho’s arrival as head coach, he failed to impress in training and couldn’t break into the squad. Ultimately, Mingi opted against signing the new contract and left on a free transfer.
Joining Colchester in September 2023, with Pompey receiving compensation, Mingi was converted into a right-sided centre-back or right-back, producing the level of performances which persuaded Stockport to buy him in May 2024.
The newly-promoted League One club splashed out an undisclosed fee to sign Mingi on a three-year deal, with Pompey earning a five-figure windfall from the transfer.
However, it swiftly turned sour at Edgeley Park and, in February 2025, manager Dave Challinor criticised him for not being fit enough to play for Stockport.
Now, after 15 appearances in 20 months for them, he’s playing his football in the National League.