'He’s ours!': Former Portsmouth and Bristol City favourite rewarded - 12 months after Fratton Park exit
Ryley Towler amassed 45 appearances for Pompey during a two-and-a-half-year stay at Fratton Park before his 2025 exit.
Ryley Towler has been rewarded with a new Lincoln City deal, 12 months on from his Pompey exit.
And the 24-year-old has been tipped to become an established Championship defender as the Imps prepare for life in the second tier.
His efforts during his maiden campaign at Sincil Bank have since been rewarded, with Towler penning fresh terms, which will keep him at the club until 2030.
News of the ex-Bristol City man’s new deal comes just 12 months after he joined the Imps from Pompey, bringing an end to his two-and-a-half-year stay at PO4.
Following his switch from Ashton Gate in January 2023, the centre back totalled 45 appearances for John Mousinho’s side, but ultimately found game time in the Championship hard to come by.
Defender lands new deal - 12 months after Fratton exit
He featured just 12 times in the second tier during his final campaign at Fratton Park, falling down the pecking order at the heart of defence and was subsequently free to leave as he headed into the final 12 months of his terms.
But after his impressive rise in League One, Towler is preparing to give the Championship another shot after his success last term.
And the former Pompey favourite has been told he now has all the attributes to become an established central defender at this level by Lincoln sporting director Jez George.
Speaking on the club’s official website following his new deal, he said: ‘Ryley epitomised everything about the squad last season, always putting the team first, always ready to play and contributed massively to our success.
‘He is hugely popular within the dressing room and amongst the staff for his character and mentality, and the selfless way in which he goes about his work in respected by everyone.
‘Ryley has all the attributes to become a top centre back at this level and his maturity over the past 12 months is testament to him and our environment.
‘Ryley is 6ft 4in, quick, good technically, left footed and 24 years old, which is some package. And he’s ours!
‘So, we are delighted to extend his contract and look forward to him developing and contributing further to what we want to achieve.’
Ryley Towler’s Pompey career
Towler made the move to Fratton Park from Bristol City in January 2023 before going on to establish himself as a regular operator during the second half of the 2022-23 campaign under Mousinho.
The centre-back registered just six league times the following campaign, however, as the Blues raced to the League One title.
And outings proved hard to come by on Pompey’s return to the Championship, which saw him amass 12 second-tier outings before his July 2025 exit.
The former Fratton favourite will line-up against his former side on August 22 when Mousinho’s men make the trip to Sincil Bank on the second game of the season.