Ben Davies: Deal has to be right to stay at Pompey

Yet the popular right-back believes he deserves a deal befitting a first-team regular.

Paul Cook has told the 34-year-old he wants him to stay at Fratton Park.

Now contract negotiations have been handed to chief executive Mark Catlin and finance director Tony Brown.

Davies signed a 12-month deal last summer following a successful trial on terms appropriate for a squad player.

However, he has gone on to make 51 starts and scoop eight player-of-the-season accolades from supporters.

The former Sheffield United player is eager to remain on the south coast and talks on a fresh deal are expected to start soon.

But Davies wants to be recognised as a first-team player.

He told The News: ‘The gaffer wants to keep me and now it’s a case of what the club are going to come up with and seeing where we go from there.

‘People look at your age but when you get older your actions speaker louder than words and I have been available for every game for the gaffer to pick me.

‘I have proven I can play regularly. With the energy I’ve brought it is not a case of standing around at right-back, I like to bomb on.

‘I think I easily have another three or four years ahead of me so it’s about where the club sees me fitting in with them next year.

‘Pompey have been brilliant for me, I have loved every minute turning out in front of these fans. It is the most I have enjoyed my football for as long as I can remember.

‘My little ’un starts school in September and I need to be planning where my family want to be. But I will move heaven and earth to stay down here and play for this club again next year.

‘When I came last summer I didn’t sign the best deal in the world. I had been on trial and the club said it was more of a squad deal and rightly so, that is what they saw me as.

‘But I have done more than that now, I have been a regular starter in the first-team – yet am still on the same deal as a squad player.

‘It is now a case of sitting down with them again and finding out whether they are going to offer me a squad deal once more or a deal where I play every week.

‘I am desperate to stay, I have said all along I would love to stay, I would sign for as long as they want me.

‘Hopefully we can get it sorted.’

However, Davies is adamant he would not be content to make up Pompey squad numbers next term.

He added: ‘I don’t want to be a squad player, I want to play every game with the work I put in and the graft I do.

‘I am disappointed when I don’t play, I want to be the first name on the gaffer’s team sheet like this year.

‘Hopefully I get a deal which is right for me – and right for the club as well.’