Jackett reveals why Plymouth target’s stay didn’t work at Portsmouth

And Kenny Jackett has lifted the lid on the reasons the striker’s stay at Pompey failed to spark to life.

Plymouth are keen to sign the man who spent the first half of the campaign at Fratton Park.

Mason made just one Checkatrade Trophy start, however, with three appearances coming off the bench.

The 27-year-old returned to his parent club Wolves last month and he has now been released from the Premier League side.

That’s prompted Derek Adams to make a bid to take Mason back to the club he started his career at.

Jackett feels the marksman will benefit from finding a club to bed in at.

He said: ‘He’s a Plymouth lad, Joe, so whether that works out for him or not, I don’t know.

‘He’d need to get himself playing over the second half of the season and he’ll be determined to do that.

‘He’s a smashing lad, though, and I do wish him all the best.

‘Hopefully he can get settled, find a home and crack on with his career.’

Jackett explained a combination of Pompey using a 4-2-3-1 formation this term and the form of the likes of Gareth Evans in the role behind a lone striker impacted Mason’s playing chances this season.

He added: ‘You always want three number nines.

‘In the first half of the season we had Hawkins, Pitman and then Mason.

‘The number one and two through that period were always fit and I didn’t choose to use either Pitman or Mason and drop them into the 10 position.

‘It didn’t work that way and we used other players.

‘Then obviously it fell into a pattern from there.

‘He didn’t do a lot wrong, but he didn’t get a chance.

‘That was the case because of the form of others.

‘Once the loan expired he obviously wanted to get himself away, as other people wanted to do.

‘He wants to push himself into a team and play on a regular basis.’