Why former Portsmouth keeper Darryl Flahavan could be back at Fratton Park on Saturday for game v Sheffield Wednesday

Former Pompey keeper Darryl Flahavan could be in the dugouts at Fratton Park on Saturday for Sheffield Wednesday’s visit to the south coast.

But it won’t be in the home one that he became well accustomed to during his one-year stay at PO4 as Jamie Ashdown’s back-up in 200-11.

Instead, the 46-year-old could be present in the pitchside seats reserved for the visitors, with reports claiming he’s poised to rejoin the Owls as their goalkeeping coach.

Darryl Flahavan to swap Home Park for Hillsborough

Flahavan has been part of the coaching set-up at League One Plymouth since the beginning of 2024, with the former Bournemouth and Southend stopper appointed by Paul Cook’s ex-Blues assistant Ian Foster.

Yet his time at Home Park looks set to be coming to an end, with Plymouth Live reporting that current Pilgrims boss Tom Cleverley is currently looking for a replacement for the Hillsborough-bound man.

Flahavan previously worked with the Owls during the 2020-21 season under Garry Monk, whom he also worked with at Leeds United, Middlesbrough and Birmingham City. Since then he’s also had coaching roles at Wigan Athletic and with the Chinese Taipei national team.

It’s understood he wants to be based closer to his family in the Midlands.

Sheffield Wednesday’s current goalkeeping coach is head of academy goalkeeping Ben Ledger. He was promoted to boss Henrik Pedersen’s first-team set-up following the summer departure of Sal Bibbo, who is now at Glasgow Rangers.

The Flahavan name will always be remembered at Pompey

Flahavan failed to feature for Pompey during his one and only season with the Blues.

Yet his Fratton Park presence carried on a proud family tradition, with brother Aaron featuring 105 times for the club before he was tragically killed in a car crash outside Bournemouth at the age of 25 in August 2001.

At the time, he was the Blues’ first-choice goalkeeper, having succeeded the legendary Alan Knight.

Pompey head into Saturday’s Championship game against Sheffield Wednesday with current first-choice Nicolas Schmid expected to miss the game with a hand injury he sustained in the Blues’ south-coast derby draw against Southampton on Sunday.

For your next Pompey read: 'Doesn't look good' - Sheffield Wednesday dealt double injury blow ahead of Portsmouth game at Fratton Park