Portsmouth to face blast from the past at Derby today - but traveling Fratton faitfhful would be forgiven if reminder is needed
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However, some Blues fans will be forgiven if they require a gentle reminder of what ex-player could be lining up against them on the penultimate weekend of the 2022-23 season.
So here we go – Harvey White! Yes, the midfielder who arrived on loan from Spurs for the second half of the 2020-21 season that was largely played behind closed doors and was one of Kenny Jackett’s last signings as Pompey boss.
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Hide AdWell, the now 21-year-old is out on loan again from Tottenham and is this time lining out for Paul Warne’s Derby as they look to book their place in the League One play-offs.
The youngster is playing a bit-part role, though, with just five of his 13 appearances to date coming as starts. Yet there’s a chance he’ll be involved at some point today and given the opportunity to remind the 3,000-plus Blues supporters expected at Pride Park what he can offer.
That additional reminder could be required as White’s time at Fratton Park won’t go down as one of Pompey’s finest pieces of transfer business – even though he relished his time at PO4.
Indeed, 16 of his 21 Blues appearances came from the bench, with his most memorable moment being a fine strike that secured a 1-0 win at Oxford United.
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Hide AdThe midfielder wasn’t able to build on that magic moment, though. Instead, through no fault of his own, he was part of a Blues side that became associated with failure under Jackett. And that failure reached boiling point when the manager was sacked the day after Pompey’s Papa John’s Trophy final defeat at the hands of Salford – a game that White started.
Under Jackett’s successor, Danny Cowley, the midfielder would feature a further nine times for the Blues as their play-off hopes were shattered by Accrington on the last day of the season. But only one came as a start as his Fratton Park career gently wound down.
Since then, White has been getting game time for Spurs in Premier League 2, while he made his Premier League proper debut in January when he came off the bench in a 4-0 win against Crystal Palace.
Maybe his Derby spell will result in a play-off campaign. However, the Blues travel to Pride Park today in the hope of ruining those ambitions.