'It's up to him, it's his choice' - Former Portsmouth prospect set for brief spell away from Gosport Borough while club extend Forest Green loanee's stay

Former Pompey prospect Bradley Lethbridge is set for a brief stint away from Gosport Borough.
Bradley Lethbridge, left, is set for a brief spell away from Gosport Borough. Picture: Tom PhillipsBradley Lethbridge, left, is set for a brief spell away from Gosport Borough. Picture: Tom Phillips
Bradley Lethbridge, left, is set for a brief spell away from Gosport Borough. Picture: Tom Phillips

The striker, released by the Blues in the summer of 2020 after making three EFL Trophy appearances for the club, has struggled since joining Boro from Bognor in the summer.

Just one of Lethbridge's six Gosport appearances this term have come in the Southern League Premier South - and that was as a substitute.

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Now Boro boss Shaun Gale is close to agreeing to letting the 21-year-old out on a dual-signing deal with a lower division club in a bid to get some much-needed minutes into the forward.

In his six outings for Gosport this season, Lethbridge has netted five times although all of those games arrived in varying cup competitions.

Gale is fully aware of his potential but made it clear he must use his time away from the club to improve his physical fitness if he is to force his way into Boro's first-team reckoning.

The Boro boss said: ‘He needs to play football, he hasn’t played a lot with us, he knows his physical condition is not good enough.

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‘The boy’s got talent, the boy can play, but the game is about athletes and running around and unfortunately Bradley cannot get around the pitch enough.

‘We’ll see how it goes towards the end of the season, it’s up to him, it’s his choice.

‘He needs to go out, do well, shed some weight, and get fit. If he does that then you’ve got a player on your hands.’

Meanwhile, Gale has managed to extend Forest Green midfielder Luke Hallett's loan stay until the end of this season.

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The 19-year-old's stint at the Privett Park was due to come to a close this month, although Boro have managed to secure his services until the end of the season.

Gale said: ‘It was initially until January, his loan was running out this week, but we’ve re-signed him. Forest Green have allowed us to keep him until the end of the season.

‘He’s been great for us Luke, he’s been a real bonus this year, he’s 19 years old come through and done fantastic.’

Boro are back in action at Privett Park when they host Walton Casuals on Saturday.

Gosport are sure to be full of confidence after starting 2022 with a thumping 5-0 New Year's Day triumph at Salisbury.

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