Forde: I want to stay at Pompey

Paul Cook signed the veteran goalkeeper on a one-year loan deal from Millwall at the start of the season as the Fratton Park boss wanted a commanding figure between the sticks.

Forde has been colossus in the Blues goal and Saturday’s 1-0 win at Mansfield was his 19th shutout of the campaign.

The Irishman was off his line quickly on three occasions at Field Mill to crucially deny the hosts.

The most important was when he made himself big to put off Shaq Coulthirst after Carl Baker’s opener.

The Stags striker beat Pompey’s offside trap and was left on-one-one with the keeper, but Forde made himself big and Coulthirst chipped his effort over.

The Republic of Ireland international is out of contract at Millwall this summer.

And after a successful spell at Fratton Park, Forde admitted he would like to extend his time at the Blues.

He said: ‘I’ve spoken to the manager and I’d like to sit down and have that conversation and see where it takes us.

‘I’ve just embraced the whole thing.

‘The manager rang me at the start of the season about the way he wants to play.

‘It’s an attractive style of football and one that we’re all enjoying playing.

‘Also, you’re playing in front of 18,000 fans every weekend at a League Two club. I think you will not see that level of support at many other clubs.

‘So the fans have been a true credit, and it’s good to actually give something back to them.

‘We’ve been part of a special team this year and been part of Portsmouth’s rise again.’

– WILL ROONEY