'Friends for life': Departing Portsmouth hero on what happened in Las Vegas - and a fitting farewell

Joe Rafferty admits Las Vegas provided an emotional farewell for Pompey’s champions - but cherishes ‘friendships for life’.

Within 48 hours of the Southsea Common celebrations, 18 of the League One title-winning squad were heading for a week in Vegas.

According to Rafferty, the trip was partly funded by owners Tornante, with the players also contributing towards their stay in The Cosmopolitan hotel. 

It represented the perfect send-off to a special group of players, with the likes of Rafferty, Myles Peart-Harris and Tino Anjorin now leaving the Blues.

In addition, Marlon Pack and Connor Ogilvie are out of contract, while there is uncertainty over the futures of Joe Morrell and Zak Swanson.

Regardless, the group have now separated - and for Rafferty it was a fitting goodbye.

He told The News: ‘There’s no hiding it, it’s there for everyone to see, we genuinely all like each other, and I have made friends for life.

‘Through the season and being in Vegas with each other, I know for a fact I have real mates forever.

‘It’s a shame you have to split up, you've made that bond, you’d like to go to the next level with them and fight for each other in the Championship. That’s now going to happen, sadly, that’s football.

"On the last day in Vegas, we had a few stragglers. So I told them “There’s no chance of letting you struggle today, this could be my last day out with you forever, never mind for a while. So get up!”.

‘And they did, not one person missed anything, which sums us up really. We enjoy spending time with each other outside of football.

‘My family sometimes go up north and I don’t like to be on my own, so the lads will go out together, coffees, meals, the tiniest things which personally I enjoy being part of.

‘People at clubs mostly say the same thing about having a great group of lads, but they don’t really mean it. Well we do here, to have 18 of us in Vegas was incredible - and we had an absolutely amazing time.’

Rafferty’s first season at Fratton Park in 2022-23 resulted in an eighth-placed finish, yet last summer’s player overhaul was pivotal.

With 14 newcomers, it raised the quality of the Pompey squad - while also created a special team spirit.

Rafferty added: ‘Without digging individuals out and comparing them to others - because it’s not really an individual, but collective thing - this season compared to last was completely different. We had a group of lads who completely bonded.

‘Even when we got to January and brought a few more lads in, they were incredible on and off the pitch. That, as a whole, has been massive for us.

‘People may not know this, but we sacrificed our Christmas Do because it was a busy period and we wanted to focus. Instead we had a little night out towards the back end of January.

‘So to be in Vegas, with the lads in a different environment, and obviously having a few drinks, was fantastic. Some of the lads went crazier than the others, but that’s expected!’