In from the cold after three-and-a-half months - solving Portsmouth's fresh left-back crisis
The defender last started a Blues match on December 20 at Pride Park
Elevated from serving as an unused substitute for eight successive Pompey matches into an essential starting selection.
Suddenly Jordan Williams has been catapulted back into the first-team frame, albeit entirely due to the Blues’ sudden left-back crisis.
With Connor Ogilvie serving a three-match ban, Zak Swanson nursing a knee injury and Jacob Farrell on loan Down Under, head coach John Mousinho finds himself with a fresh headache for Middlesbrough.
Far from being presented with a dilemma to agonise over, though, the sole option is to employ a right-footed defender who last started in a 1-1 draw at Derby on December 20.
Hobson’s choice for Pompey boss
Indeed, during that time, Williams has been a constant on the bench for the last 20 matches in all competitions, yet rarely called upon.
Since the end of January, he has totalled 46 minutes, while the November 1 hammering at Birmingham was the last time the former Barnsley man started successive matches.
With Terry Devlin thriving at right-back, Swanson flourishing at left-back and Connor Ogilvie’s return from a knee ligament injury, Williams has found himself the odd-man out over the last three-and-a-half months.
Now, following an impressive cameo against Oxford United, the 26-year-old can expect to line up at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday.
Based on Williams’ impressive Bank Holiday Monday entrance after 20 minutes following Ogilvie’s dismissal, the left-back position appears to be in safe hands for the foreseeable future.
Demonstrating a timely reminder of his talents, the forgotten man put in a strong display, both in defence and attack, as the 10-man Blues registered a gutsy 2-2 draw against Oxford.
He was even involved in the build up to the 88th minute leveller, being high up the pitch to feed Marlon Pack a pass, who in turn found Milli Alli to tee Andre Dozzell for the equaliser.
After arriving on a free transfer from Oakwell in June 2024, representing their first summer signing since clinching a return to the Championship, Williams has endured a frustrating time on the south coast.
Persistent hamstring injuries
His maiden campaign in 2024-25 was blighted by persistent hamstring injuries, restricting him to just 22 outings as Mousinho’s side finished 16th.
Now over those issues, Williams has missed just one Championship squad this season, when a tight hamstring kept him out of October’s 2-1 home defeat to Coventry.
Instead, his ongoing absence has been down to selection preference, despite starting the opening two league games as Mousinho’s first-choice right-back.
Initially displaced by Swanson, they battled it out for the position until November, when Devlin became part of the equation after being handed his first start of the campaign against Wrexham at Fratton Park.
The hugely-popular Northern Ireland international has been a fixture ever since, firmly putting himself in the frame as a Pompey player of the season contender.
As for Williams, after featuring at left-back at Derby in December, he became a permanent presence on the bench, with eight substitute outings over the last 20 matches.
Now circumstances have dictated it is time to return to the first-team fold, with Middlesbrough representing the opportunity of a first start in almost three-and-a-half months.
That is unless Ogilvie succeeds in any appeal Pompey may have lodged or should Swanson be declared available, having missed the Easter football programme through injury.
As ever, Williams patiently waits in the wings for a first-team opportunity.