Etuhu knows it's time to say goodbye

But the midfielder is confident the Blues can regroup and bounce back in League One next season.

Michael Appleton’s side went down to a 2-0 reverse at the City Ground on Saturday.

It marks their final game in the Championship after being relegated last weekend.

The Pompey squad are fully aware many will now be sold off to keep the club alive.

Jason Pearce has agreed a move to Leeds and clubs are on the trail of Greg Halford.

The likes of Joel Ward and Erik Huseklepp are also generating interest, too.

Etuhu explained the players know what is coming next for them.

But that hasn’t knocked the belief Pompey can have a future to look forward to.

The 23-year-old is adamant the Blues will be able to survive the summer.

And he reckons they will have every opportunity to bounce back into the Championship at the first attempt.

Etuhu said: ‘It’s emotional.

‘It might be the last game for a lot of the players.

‘But we have to hope there is a club next year.

‘If there is then we have to push forward to get back into this league.

‘I think there will be a club next season. I’m hopeful.

‘We want there to be some good times moving forward.’

Etuhu was frustrated Pompey couldn’t give their excellent 2,300 travelling fans a result.

But he felt the players could take solace they took the survival fight to the penultimate weekend in such testing circumstances.

He said: ‘You want to give the fans something and end the season on a high. So it’s a bit sad in the circumstances to not get a result.

‘A lot of clubs would have been down and out a long time ago with what has happened here.

‘But we have kept it going. That is down to the gaffer.’