'The best winger in League One': Portsmouth title winner addresses Hull man's emotional Fratton homecoming
Abu Kamara was League One’s best winger last season, according to Conor Shaughnessy.
Now the talented attacker is back at Fratton Park for a homecoming which could well mark his return to that level.
There may be few familiar faces in opposition these days, yet the 21-year-old will still be among friends on Saturday as Hull bid to preserve their Championship status.
Of the Blues’ likely starting XI on Saturday, only Shaughnessy, Colby Bishop, Connor Ogilvie and Terry Devlin were team-mates of Kamara during the memorable 2024-25 campaign on loan.
Representing his first spell away from Norwich, he flourished under John Mousinho to register an impressive tally of 10 goals and 11 assists in 52 outings.
Sadly, a permanent deal was well out of Pompey’s grasp, with Hull splashing out £4.5m to land Kamara in August 2024.
Now, for the first time since the 2-0 defeat against Wigan in the penultimate game of last season, he’s back on the south coast.
Shaughnessy told The News: ‘Abu was brilliant for us, a really good player, talented and really grew into the season, getting stronger and stronger as he went on for us.
‘Obviously he got a good move off the back of it. Hull have had a difficult season, but it will be good to see him on Saturday. I’m sure he will be dangerous on the right wing for them.
‘Abu was massively important to us. He played every league game and came up with some really good goals and top performances. He was probably the best winger in the division by the end of the season, in my opinion.
‘He was one of those players who you could give the ball to on the halfway line and he could get you out of trouble, he could drive past players, he was pacy.
‘We know he likes to come inside on his left foot from the right wing, he can score goals, get assists and he has a good attitude. He works hard for the team.
‘You have to say he was vital to us getting promoted and, unfortunately, didn’t come back to us in the summer, but he has gone to Hull and they are in the position they are in.’
Kamara has endured a difficult maiden season with the Tigers, with four assists and five goals in 35 appearances, primarily occupying the right wing.
There was also the incident in January, when he was forced to publicly apologise after liking an Instagram post by former team-mate Paddy Lane, after the Pompey attacker had scored his maiden Championship goal.
Kamara won the League One title at Fratton Park in April - approaching 13 months later he could also be relegated there.
Shaughnessy added: ‘Abu was unknown to us at the start of that season, we didn’t really know what to expect from him, but he grew into himself as it went on.
‘He really found his stride and popped up with some good goals, good assists and top all-round performances. He was really strong for us at the back end of last season.’
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