Released by Portsmouth two years ago - scored against them Saturday. Debut delight after joining eighth club since Fratton Park exit
The attacker has featured for Farnborough, Sholing, Horndean and Gosport since leaving Fratton Park in 2023
A former Pompey player has celebrated clinching his latest move - by scoring against the Blues Academy he used to skipper.
There were those among the Fratton faithful who were unhappy over Adam Payce’s release in the summer of 2023 following three first-team appearances.
The attacking midfielder also registered 14 goals in 31 outings for Pompey’s under-18s in the 2022-23 campaign, yet, upon graduating, wasn’t offered professional terms.
Payce subsequently went to Birmingham, Wycombe, Brentford and Colchester in an attempt to win a deal, before joining National South Farnborough in July 2023.
And, hours after being officially unveiled by Callum Glen’s side, the 20-year-old marked the occasion by scoring in Saturday’s 2-0 victory over a Pompey XI, consisting entirely of Academy players.
Eighth club in two years after leaving Portsmouth
Sam Hudson’s under-18s were without Michael Ani and Fraser Thomas, who had linked up with the first-team for their friendly against Crawley, which had been switched to the training ground.
And their old boy Payce sent out a timely reminder of his talents, coming off the bench at half-time to score Moneyfields’ second with a 70th-minute lob.
It represents his eighth club in two years since the heartbreak of being shown the Fratton Park exit as the attacker seeks to forge a career in the game.
In addition to Farnborough, where he made three appearances, Payce has also spent time at Sholing (loan), Hartley Wintney (loan), Hungerford, Badshot Lea, Horndean and Gosport.
He left Privett Park in the summer following a short spell and subsequently turned out for Moneyfields as a triallist in friendlies against Chichester City, Aldershot Town XI and Fleetlands.
Portsmouth debut aged 17 years and 20 days
Payce made his Pompey first-team debut aged 17 years and 20 days in a Papa Johns Trophy encounter with Crystal Palace Under-21s in November 2021.
He went on to total three senior outings, all arriving in the same competition, his last coming against Aston Villa Under-21s in October 2022 under Danny Cowley.
The midfielder was also a regular in the Blues’ Hampshire Senior Cup campaign in 2022-23 and started their 5-2 quarter-final defeat at Bournemouth in March 2023, watched by John Mousinho.
Among four Academy players released by Portsmouth in May 2023
However, having graduated from Pompey’s Academy in the summer of 2023, Mousinho oversaw his release along with Jamie Howell, Gabriel Kamavuako and Elliott Simpson.
Now Payce is hoping to find regular first-team football at Moneyfields, who have another former Pompey player in Kaleem Haitham also on their books.
Ex-Academy winger Haitham made one first-team appearance for the Blues in September 2015, when he appeared off the bench at Exeter in the EFL Trophy under Paul Cook.
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