Pompey backed for top-10 League One finish

Jed Wallace watching Pompey last season. Picture: Joe Pepler

That is the verdict of Jed Wallace, who continues to closely monitor the fortunes of the club where he spent three-and-a-half years.

It was a season of double delight for the attacking midfielder, whose Millwall side booked a place in the Championship following a play-off Wembley win.

In addition, former employers Pompey claimed the League Two title during a successful promotion campaign.

Wallace still attends Fratton Park games on occasions and is the boyfriend of Abbie Catlin, daughter of chief executive Mark.

And he is convinced the Blues possess the talent to make a favourable impact on the division he has left behind.

He said: ‘I come back to see Abbie all the time and have also been to a few Pompey matches.

‘They were probably the best team in the league and played the best football in large parts. I bet there wasn’t a bad party in Southsea after Cheltenham!

‘If they can added a couple then they will be in and around the top 10 all day long.

‘There’s not much difference between standards in League Two and League One, however the bottom half of League One would do well to get into the League Two play-offs.

‘Meanwhile, the top eight or nine in League One would absolutely blitz League Two.

‘Look at Pompey’s away fixtures this season, draws at Doncaster or maybe Plymouth would be regarded as good results.

‘However, next season in League Two you have Oxford United, Bristol Rovers, Charlton, Bradford, Scunthorpe, Wigan and Rotherham. Draw any of those and they are good points. That’s the difference,

‘You’re also not going to have 58 per cent of the football at away grounds any more.

‘On the other hand, I think it can work both ways at home, with games a bit more open.’

Wallace spent the second half of the season on loan at Millwall from Wolves.

He has endured frustrating times at Molineux since recruited from Pompey in May 2015.

Yet in his Fratton Park absence, a member of the Wallace family still remains.

He added: ‘A lot of my family are Pompey fans, my Uncle Andrew is a season-ticket holder and tells me all the time what he thinks!

‘I keep in touch with Conor (Chaplin) and speak to David Forde quite a bit having been with him at Millwall.

‘Football is a very small world!’