‘One of my best mates’: The friendship driving Portsmouth forward after south-coast derby pain
The ‘rivalry’ Pompey fans will love to hear about driving their run up the Championship.
Terry Devlin has delivered an insight into the close bond underpinning Pompey’s fight to start at right-back.
And the Northern Ireland international has expressed his joy at Zak Swanson’s Fratton career scaling new heights.
Devlin: ‘Swanny is one of my best mates around here’
That’s despite Swanson’s success this term leading to an extended spell on the sidelines for the Blues’ reigning player of the season.
Devlin returned to the team in outstanding fashion on Tuesday night, scoring a top-drawer leveller in the comeback 1-1 draw at Wolves.
That followed four games out of John Mousinho’s starting XI, with Swanson form soaring in that time as he produced the form of his Fratton career.
The 26-year-old has delivered two goals in that period contributing to the 2-2 draw with Blackburn Rovers, before a superb drive helped Pompey defeat Sheffield United 3-2 last week.
Devlin was honest about the disappointment of losing his place to Swanson following seven starts on the spin, with some variable form in that time off the back of a hamstring injury picked up at the end of last season.
But the 22-year-old explained there is a close connection between the pair, which leads to joy at Swanson’s success and a relationship driving them both forward in a position where Pompey looked well stocked.
Devlin said: ‘It’s not that frustrating being out of the team, because football is a squad game - I know I’ll be involved.
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‘Obviously deep down you’re disappointed as a footballer, you want to play.
‘The competition for places is really important. He knows I’m pushing him and I know he’s pushing me.
‘It makes us so much better as a team, so it’s really important he can take a rest after three or four games on the bounce. I can come in and do well.
‘That’s what football is. If you look at all the top teams across the world, rotation is part of it. That’s an important thing.’
Swanson and Devlin have both contributed to a run of seven points from nine, which has helped alleviate some of the pain from south-coast derby defeat to Southampton earlier this month.
Devlin is hopeful that disappointment can continue to be a catalyst for Pompey to look up the Championship table.
He added: ‘The results are what the fans deserve.
‘You never want to lose to your bitter rivals, so the runs shows we’re sorry for that result.
‘We’ve learned from that and I think the two wins and draw since shows great character.’