Pompey seek second loan for promising midfielder

Pompey are eager to return Theo Widdrington to a loan home after answering their SOS call.
Theo Widdrington. Picture: Joe PeplerTheo Widdrington. Picture: Joe Pepler
Theo Widdrington. Picture: Joe Pepler

With the Blues’ midfield decimated by injury, the promising 18-year-old has been recalled from a season-long loan at the Hawks.

Widdrington regularly featured for the National League South promotion chasers, earning praise from boss Lee Bradbury.

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However, the first-year professional reunited with Fratton Park to serve as an unused substitute against Bristol Rovers and then in the Checkatrade Trophy versus Chelsea under-21s.

Illness kept him out of the reckoning for last weekend’s visit of Scunthorpe.

And while Kenny Jackett acknowledges the youngster’s talent, he is seeking to loan him out once again when the situation allows.

Pompey’s boss said: ‘Theo is a holding midfield player, quite tenacious and a good passer. He has done well.

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‘He has played games out on loan and I have got a lot of time for him.

‘He is still 18, turning 19 in April, so there’s plenty of time.

‘If you are 18 playing in the National League South there is good potential for the future and he has done that in a good Havant side which has a chance of going up.

‘We recalled him because of the midfield situation, that is what you have young players for.

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‘Will Theo be loaned out again? I think so, in an ideal world he would be there for the season and then maybe next year – with or without Havant – keep stepping up the ladder.

‘His number-one aim is to get into the Portsmouth team and if we have three or four midfield players he would want to be here.

‘But sometimes if you are sub a lot and on the fringe of it so maybe don’t get games, it’s not a bad one to go out and come back when you are ready.

‘It’s a balance of young players and their development. Rather than having a development group, I still think loans can be an effective route of producing players and is slightly different to featuring in under-21 and under-23 football.

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‘If you have just turned 18 and are getting into the National League South then you can make it through.

‘With Theo, it has been beneficial and he is back here now pushing our midfield players.’

Widdrington made 23 appearances and scored three goals for the Hawks before he was recalled to Fratton Park at the end of December.