Pompey to welcome back relative unknown to Fratton Park

Only two competitive games have taken place between the teams down through the years – both in the 2013-14 League Two season.

Just as rare is a Blues victory from those matches, with the Trawlermen winning both that campaign – 3-1 at Highbury Stadium, plus a 1-0 victory at Fratton Park.

Meanwhile, equally scarce is a the job of finding a current Pompey player who was involved in any of the fixtures mentioned.

With Pompey experiencing a high turnover of staff since that season when they finished 13th and Fleetwood were promoted via the play-offs, they are few and far between.

In fact, Jack Whatmough is the only remaining Blues player still at the club from the game at Highbury on March 15, 2014.

Unfortunately, he’s ruled out of Saturday’s fixture following surgery on his left knee last week.

No Pompey player who was involved in the 1-0 defeat on September 21, 2013, remains at PO4.

The likes of Jon Sullivan, Sonny Bradley, Marcus Painter, Simon Ferry and David Connolly have long since departed.

But there is one current Blues ace who should be able to recall that day – Gareth Evans.

He was part of the Fleetwood side that claimed victory on the south coast that day.

And was also involved in the only goal of the game – a second-half own goal by Bradley.

Evans made the switch to Fratton Park in May 2015, when snapped up by Paul Cook.

The chances of him being reunited with his former side on the pitch appear remote, however.

The right-sided player has been ommited from Kenny Jackett’s past two squads and looks set for another watching brief this weekend.

Pompey team (September 21, 2013): Sullivan, N’Gala, Bradley, Painter, Cooper, Holmes, Ertl (Padovani), Ferry, Barcham (Wallace), Connolly, Agyemang (Craddock).

Pompey team (March 15, 2014): Carson, N’Gala, Devera, Alfei, Shorey (Agyemang), Whatmough, Holmes, Fogden (Wallace), Drennan (Taylor), Diagouraga, Jervis.