Appleton forced to wait on Westwood

Ashley Westwood has been lined up to arrive as Appleton’s new assistant.

But the veteran defender is being forced to hold on until he is given the green light to make the move to Fratton Park.

Appleton was told last week there’s no finances in place to bring in the 35-year-old.

He has been working on actioning his arrival over the weekend, but is still waiting to see that happen.

The 35-year-old has told current club Lincoln that he expects to leave the Conference side and make the move south.

Manager David Holdsworth has agreed to that after he arrived at Sincil Bank in May.

Appleton last week appointed Luke Dowling as his director of recruitment as he shapes his backroom staff.

Dowling arrives from Crystal Palace after a previous scouting role at AFC Wimbledon.

Current first-team Guy Whittingham is expected to head up Pompey’s returning development squad.

Meanwhile, Pompey have handed eight players apprentice deals.

Connor O’Hara, Jack Whatmough, Jae Heon Kim, Bradley Tarbuck, Nicholas Tarasenko, Harry Medway, Lewis Horsburgh and Ben Close have all joined the Blues Academy.

The players haves inked two-year agreements and will link up with Andy Awford and Paul Hardyman.

Close, a central midfielder, comes from Portsmouth, with striker Horsbrough from Waterlooville.

Havant’s Medway plays at full-back, with Emsworth’s Tarbuck a right-winger or striker.

Whatmough is a Gosport-based centre-back, while midfielder Kim is from Kingston-upon-Thames.

Keeper O’Hara comes from Folkestone in Kent, with Midfielder Tarasenko from Sydney, Australia.

– JORDAN CROSS