Why forgotten Portsmouth man was absent against Watford amid Fratton Park injury crisis
Tom McIntyre has amassed 14 appearances for Pompey during his two-and-a-half-year stay at Fratton Park.
John Mousinho has confirmed Pompey are looking to part ways with Tom McIntyre before the close of the January window.
The forgotten defender was left out of the Blues’ 20-man squad for Wednesday’s trip to Watford, despite an ongoing injury crisis at Fratton Park.
With 12 members of his squad currently sidelined, the head coach was forced to turn to Connor Ogilvie to line-up in the heart of defence at Vicarage Road, while academy duo Tayo Singerr and Chinedu Agu were named on the bench.
The 27-year-old registered just 11 appearances for the Bantams, of which just four came from the starting XI as he played a bit-part role in their push for the Championship.
Graham Alexander’s men opted to cancel his loan deal at the halfway stage, with the defender totalling just two minutes of league action in his final seven matches at Valley Parade.
Having returned to Fratton, Mousinho, though, is not anticipating any action for McIntyre, who is expected to be sold or sent back out on loan for the second half of the campaign.
Tom McIntyre’s Pompey future
Should the ex-Reading man feature for the Blues, EFL rules state a player can only play for two clubs in one season, subsequently ruling out a move elsewhere.
And that was the key reason why the centre-back was left out of the draw at Vicarage Road as Pompey look to move the defender on before the February 2 deadline.
Mousinho told The News: ‘We’ll try to get Tom out on loan if we can or, if there’s a permanent option, we’ll do that.
‘Tom has already played this season for Bradford so, if he plays for Portsmouth, that closes off any options he has for the rest of the season - other than going back to Bradford.
‘So that’s not something we’re looking at doing.’
Tom McIntyre’s failed Pompey stay
It’s been a two-year stay to forget for McIntyre, who has totalled just 14 appearances following his move from Reading in January 2024.
The Select Car Leasing Stadium featured just once in Pompey’s League One title-winning campaign after sustaining a season-ending ankle injury on debut.
Following his return from the sidelines at the start of last term, the defender was a regular figure in Mousinho’s backline as injuries ripped through his backline.
After a frustrating first half of the season at Fratton Park, McIntyre was shipped off to Charlton Athletic 12-months ago, where he amassed just 10 appearances as the Addicks enjoyed play-off success in League One.
The defender, though, hasn’t been registered in Pompey’s EFL squad this season and is now entering the final six months of his two-and-a-half-year deal on the south coast.