Huge Portsmouth favourite pens emotional 77-word farewell after completing Reading switch
Paddy Lane scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists during a two-and-a-half-year stay at Fratton Park.
Paddy Lane has penned an emotional Pompey farewell as his two-and-a-half-year stay at Fratton Park comes to a close.
And the popular 24-year-old has thanked everyone associated with the Blues for his stint at PO4, which saw him lift the League One title.
Lane penned a three-year deal at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, linking up with former team-mate Mark O’Mahony, who also made the switch to Berkshire earlier in the summer.
It brings an end to his two-and-a-half-year stay at Fratton Park after arriving from Fleetwood Town in January 2023.
The forward went on to score 14 goals and register 11 assists in 84 outings in all competitions for John Mousinho’s men.
Lane was a pivotal figure in the Blues’ return to the Championship during the 2023-24 campaign, with only Colby Bishop and Kusini Yengi netting more.
However, he struggled to follow up his fantastic record in the second tier last term, scoring one and assisting one in the league before his season-ending knee injury in January.
And that love has been reciprocated by Lane, who has penned a classy farewell message to supporters on social media following his switch to Reading.
A message on his Instagram read: ‘Pompey. Where do I start, what a club! From the moment I arrived every single person welcomed me with open arms and I really felt like the city was my second home.
‘I can’t thank you all enough. The League One winning season will always be special and that night we went up will live with me forever.
‘Can’t thank everyone associated with the club enough, staff, players and most importantly the fans. Play Up Pompey. Paddy.’
Paddy Lane a popular figure at Fratton Park
Lane was a much-loved figure inside and outside of the dressing room, with supporters and players taking a loving to the winger.
That was evident in the comments, with a number of his Fratton Park team-mates taking the time to say their goodbyes.
Josh Murphy said: ‘Some boy, all the best bro’, while Hayden Matthews replied: ‘All the best Paddy’.
Ryley Towler, who was another League One title winner to depart this summer, commented: ‘Room mate, one of the best. All the best brother.’
Former Pompey loanee Alex Robertson said: ‘What a guy, all the best bro’, with Callum Lang posting on his Instagram story, saying: ‘Good luck brother, we’ve had some good times.’
Reading kick-start the new third-tier campaign on Saturday as they welcome Huddersfield Town to the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
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