The Insider: Pompey signing MacGillivray is good enough to be No1

Craig MacGillivray has been announced as Pompey's third signing of the summer.
New Pompey keeper Craig MacGillivrayNew Pompey keeper Craig MacGillivray
New Pompey keeper Craig MacGillivray

The keeper has moved to Fratton Park on a free transfer from Shrewsbury Town, penning a two-year deal.

We spoke to LEWIS COX, who is the Shrewsbury reporter for the Shropshire Star, to get the lowdown on the 25-year-old...

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I’m not surprised Craig MacGillivray has left Shrewsbury – he wants to be a No1 keeper.

New Pompey keeper Craig MacGillivrayNew Pompey keeper Craig MacGillivray
New Pompey keeper Craig MacGillivray

He’s good enough to be a No1 and he wanted to leave to play regular football.

Shrewsbury fans are pretty gutted because they know he should be the club’s No1 next season. They’re going to miss out and he is a good talent.

However, I’m looking at the situation and thinking is he going to Pompey to be a No2? I can’t get my head around it.

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Craig wants to play football, but unless he’s been told he’s going to be No1 then I don’t fully understand it.

He was told by Paul Hurst that he had a chance last season but he never did with Dean Henderson at the club.

Every time McGillivray played, he did really well.

Henderson was one of the best keepers in the league but McGillivray played almost as well in the games he was involved in.

He made very few, if any, errors. His shot stopping is brilliant and he’s big and powerful coming for crosses.

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The one weakness you could identify is his inexperience, because he hasn’t had a regular run in the Football League with either Walsall or Shrewsbury.

It’s a good signing on a free transfer.

It wouldn’t surprise me if he came in as Pompey’s No2 – it’s not what he wants but he has the ability to push Luke McGee.

When Henderson kept going out on international duty, McGillivray would do well – but then Dean would come straight back into the team.

When Craig came in, he had some great games – especially at Pompey. He did really well in other games, as well.

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I remember interviewing Craig when he came in for a league match against Blackpool in April.

He kept a clean sheet and I spoke to him afterwards about his future and he said that he needs to play – so I sort of knew it was coming.

Dean has obviously gone back to Manchester United and Shrewsbury have had a change of manager.

It’s similar to why he left Walsall – he didn’t want to be No2 there and moved to Shrewsbury. It was a shame and a shame Shrewsbury are losing him.

I hope he gets a chance to prove himself because he’s good enough to be a League One No1 easily, and he’s still young for a keeper.

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