‘He’ll leave us for bigger and better things’ – Gosport boss Gale on new Boro signing Harry Kavanagh

Shaun Gale hopes new signing Harry Kavanagh does not stick around at Gosport Borough for too long - because that would mean both he and assistant manager Scott Green have helped the defender move a step closer to his end goal.
Harry Kavanagh, right, on his Pompey debut in the EFL Trophy against West Ham U23s last November. Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images.Harry Kavanagh, right, on his Pompey debut in the EFL Trophy against West Ham U23s last November. Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images.
Harry Kavanagh, right, on his Pompey debut in the EFL Trophy against West Ham U23s last November. Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images.

Boro boss Gale has pulled off a real capture by bringing in signing the teenager on the back of his Pompey release.

The Horndean-based full-back, 19, had a brief loan spell at Privett Park last term and he has been persuaded to return to the club permanently.

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But Kavanagh arrives making it clear his desire to eventually get back into the professional ranks.

Gale also wants to see his new arrival moving onto 'bigger and better things' in the not too distant future.

He said: 'I’ve known Harry for a long, long time and I’m friends with his family as well.

‘He came on loan to us and did well; unfortunately, it happens in football, he got let go by Portsmouth.

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‘I’ve been talking to him ever since, really; I’ve talked to him all the way through even when he was at Portsmouth trying to help him and everything.

‘Ultimately, what he will do is get minutes with us, he’ll play men’s football and that’s what he needs to progress.

‘His determination and his character - he’s relentless, he works hard, he lives his life the right way - I believe will see him flourish and progress once he’s played some more men’s football back into the professional game.

‘I’ll gladly let him move on knowing that us as a football club and Gosport Borough, myself and Scotty (Scott Green) have helped him progress into the player we know he can be.

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'Selfishly, I’d like to keep him as long as I can at Gosport, but I’d be happy to see him move onto bigger and better things - and I believe he will do.

‘I do believe that once he gets in his stride and playing games for us he’ll move on at some stage.

'He’s still only young, got lots to learn, but he wants to work, got a fantastic attitude and he’s a very good player.'

Kavanagh made two first team appearances for Pompey in the EFL Trophy in 2020/21. He played the first 67 minutes against West Ham U23s last November and the full 90 minutes at Peterborough in January.

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Gale reckons his arrival is another huge boost for the club.

The Boro boss has made no secret of his desire to recruit the best young talent around - and he feels Kavanagh’s arrival at Privett Park will only make it more of an attractive proposition for other players.

Gale said: ‘It’s a great capture. I said last year when I took over I wanted to get the best young players along with the good senior players I’ve already got and he ticks that box.

‘I’ve got some real good youngsters in, the likes of Harry, Matt Casey, who we’ve signed, Pat Suraci, Joe Lea, Bradley Lethbridge. And Bradley Tarbuck is still a good young player even though he’s got a lot of experience of playing at this sort of level.

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‘The future looks bright for Gosport - I’ve got some very good senior players.

‘It might not happen straight away, but in the next year or 18 months we’re going to have some very good youngsters at the football club playing in and around our first team.

‘I get at some stage we’ll probably lose some of them, but that’s football, we’ll worry about that at the time.'

Kavanagh becomes Gosport's fourth signing of the summer, with another former Pompey product, Lethbridge, Bouwe Bosma and Paul Agbeseyi having previously signed.

Goalkeeper Pat O’Flaherty and midfielder Theo Lewis have joined Salisbury and Hungerford respectively, though.