Released Portsmouth goalkeeper training with Gosport Borough

Seymour, who was released by the Blues this summer, was present as Boro returned for pre-season training last night.

Gosport boss Shaun Gale is searching for a goalkeeper after last season's first-choice stopper Pat O'Flaherty moved to Southern League Premier South rivals Salisbury in May.

Seymour, 20, made just one senior appearance for Pompey – coming on as a substitute in a 5-1 EFL Trophy defeat to Peterborough last term – after signing for the Blues in September 2020.

The stopper was one of several trialists involved in Gosport's first pre-season training session.

He was also joined by former Pompey team-mate Harry Kavanagh, who has signed for Boro following his summer release from Fratton Park.

But Gale admitted it's early days in his pursuit of Seymour - and says any final decision is likely to come down to whether the stopper opts to push to get back into full-time football or drops into playing part-time.

The Gosport boss said: ‘Taylor has come in and he’s training with us. Obviously he doesn’t have a club, I only have a young goalkeeper - I don’t have a goalkeeper at this moment in time.

‘Taylor is of interest to us, he’s a good goalkeeper, obviously he’s a free agent so I said to him to come in and train to see if he enjoys it.

‘It’s an option we might explore. It’s a bit more down to Taylor, really. I’ve got a few irons in the fire, there are some others options. I’ve got a young goalkeeper who’s done well for the under-23s in Ellis Grant. He’s an excellent goalkeeper as well so I’m not dismissing him.

‘I need two goalkeepers so it’s something we’ll look at. Taylor’s a good size, an enthusiastic lad, he works hard, so we’ll have a look and see.

‘We’re having a look at him, he’s having a look at us, it remains to be seen whether Taylor tries to remain full-time or whether he goes part-time - I think that’s his dilemma, really.’

Gale was delighted to have his squad back together again after an enforced break because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Boro's last competitive fixture came way back on October, 31 last year - a 2-1 FA Trophy third round qualifying defeat at Dorchester Town - prior to the non-elite football suspension.

The Boro boss is now hoping he'll have an uninterrupted summer to get his players up to speed after returning for pre-season.

Gale said: ‘It’s been tough times. What people are coming to realise is how tough it’s been mentally for people as well.

‘A lot of people have got situations going on in their lives but I think Covid has had a big impact mentally on people as well.

‘I think to get back together, train, get back to what we were doing, it was something that was needed and a welcome relief for everyone.

‘It was good to see everyone, you just get that buzz back, it was really, really good.’