Pompey defender ready for biggest crowd of his career

TOM DAVIES is preparing to savour playing in front of the biggest crowd of his career.

The defender is hoping to get the nod to sample the Fratton Park effect as a Pompey player for the first time against Crawley.

Davies is in line to start on Saturday after impressing on his full league debut against Exeter last weekend.

That will mean the man who was playing non-league football before moving to Accrington Stanley last year getting a taste of their backing.

The former FC United of Manchester man has sampled Pompey’s home as an opposing player for Stanley.

A crowd of 15,745 turned out for that game last September.

Now Davies is desperate to get the nod for an occasion typical of why he wanted to join Pompey.

He said: ‘It’s one of the main reasons I signed.

‘It’s an unbelievable place to play your football and hopefully I can experience it for the first time.

‘It’s going to be incredible. I’ve watched it and it looks a great arena to play your football. On the pitch is where you want to be.

‘When you play you shut it out but it’s something I’m really looking forward to.

‘Playing away at Pompey for Accrington is the biggest crowd I’ve experienced.

‘It’ll be nice to have cheers instead of them against me.’

A back injury has hindered Davies’ progress since his move to Pompey.

But the 24-year-old put that problem behind him to shine alongside Christian Burgess in the middle of defence last weekend.

Davies admitted it’s been hard missing out but he’s now looking to make up for lost time.

He said: ‘It’s been tough for me, especially getting the back injury in pre-season.

‘Hopefully I’ve got my feet under the table now a bit more. I’m a bit more relaxed in my company and the group of players on the pitch.

‘Hopefully we’ll see what comes of it when we play this weekend.

‘I think it just came from a bit too much running in pre-season and something I wasn’t used to.

‘I’ve worked with the physios to keep things at bay and I’m hoping that’s all behind me now.

‘It was great for Jack (Whatmough and Burge (Burgess) because they were doing well, but I was champing at the bit watching them play.

‘That’s football. I have no gripes about that. I injured my back and it happens.

‘It’s still a bit in my mind but there’s no pain at all so I’m over it and I can concentrate on my football.

‘Hopefully now I’m able to kick on and get some football under my belt.’

– JORDAN CROSS