Little: Hreidarsson broke my toe at Portsmouth after pushing me off a chair

Glen Little has revealed how Hermann Hreidarsson broke his toe while '˜mucking about' at Pompey.
Former Pompey winger Glen LittleFormer Pompey winger Glen Little
Former Pompey winger Glen Little

And the pair subsequently managed to hide how the injury occurred from manager Harry Redknapp.

Little arrived at Fratton Park from Reading on a free transfer in June 2008, signing a one-year deal.

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Yet within a month he was sidelined with a broken toe on his right foot, having been pushed off a chair by team-mate Hreidarsson during pre-season.

Former Pompey defender Hermann HreidarssonFormer Pompey defender Hermann Hreidarsson
Former Pompey defender Hermann Hreidarsson

It was decided to tell Redknapp the problem had occurred during a training session on the eve of a friendly at Swindon.

Little later lined-up against AC Milan in November 2008, the 2-2 Fratton Park draw which marks its 10th anniversary tomorrow.

And to this day former boss Redknapp has no idea behind the truth how he lost his summer signing so early into that campaign.

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Little told The News: '˜My time at Pompey was stop-start due to injuries.

'˜I had been out a year the season before at Reading with my Achilles. Harry had always liked me so took a chance with a free transfer, we were both hoping it would work out.

'˜Things didn't get off to a great start, though, when during pre-season Hermann broke my toe.

'˜He was mucking about, grabbed me off the chair, had me round the neck and my right foot hit the coffee table. Luckily it was one of the little toes he broke!

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'˜That was Hermann, I probably got off lightly with him. He did worse to other players mucking about and apparently one day broke the collarbone of Iceland's new coach. I'll take that broken toe!

'˜He's clumsy and didn't know his own strength. He came into the reception area and we were having a bit of banter and mucking about and that happened.

'˜The physio persuaded me not to tell Harry, so we made out it was done in training, everyone had to keep it quiet and I don't think he ever found out.

'˜So I missed the Swindon friendly and returned to face Bournemouth the following match '“ only to collect a dead thigh to put me out for the rest of pre-season.

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'˜It was a bad challenge, taking me out high on the thigh and bursting a blood vessel. Sometimes that happens when you have been out for a year, you pick up other stuff.

'˜I was coming to the end of my career so it was a shame it was so stop-start, I never got back to how I was at Reading and Burnley.

'˜And it was a great start to my Pompey career, thank Hermann for that!'

Glen Little played eight times for Pompey during his brief spell at Fratton Park during the 2008-09 season.

Get more from the former Pompey winger tomorrow, when he discusses the Blues' famous draw with AC Milan at Fratton Park.