'A promising career ahead of him': Portsmouth boss on why he wants latest home-grown Football League debutant to remain around his first-team

Harry Jewitt-White’s four-minute cameo off the bench at Peterborough signified his league debut.

Having made his first-team bow in the Papa John’s Trophy in November 2020, the Hayling Island youngster had waited more than two years to sample League One.

It represented a proud moment for the Pompey supporter, who only returned from a loan spell with Gosport weeks earlier.

And Mousinho currently wants Jewitt-White to remain around his first-team rather than sent out on another loan.

Pompey’s head coach told The News: ‘I’ve not had a huge amount of exposure to Harry.

‘He did really well in the short time I had with him in-between the Fleetwood game and Peterborough game, when we had two training seasons.

‘The lads that played the majority of the minutes at Fleetwood pretty much did a second-day recovery session, so it was my first chance to have a look at everyone else and how they were progressing.

‘As an 18-year-old, you’re probably trying to catch the eye of a new head coach coming in and Harry trained well on the Thursday and Friday – and was in the (Peterborough) squad on merit.

‘One thing I’m really keen to do is make sure that, when we name the squad, it’s not because we are down to the bare bones and just sticking someone in for the sake of it. It’s because they have actually earned their spot.

‘We stuck Harry on at Peterborough away when they were firing with a really good side and 2-0 up at the time, but I wouldn’t have thrown him on if I didn’t think he was capable.

‘Harry won’t be going out on loan again in the short-term, the important thing for him is he’s around us every day, training with the first-team and putting himself under that strain and stress.

‘We are looking to have him here and are keeping him about. Harry has a promising career ahead of him.’

Jewitt-White made 10 appearances for Gosport, scoring once, during a loan spell punctuated by injury and a three-game ban for a red card.

He returned upon the expiry of the arrangement in the middle of last month – and Mousinho was impressed with his Peterborough display.

He added: ‘As things opened up towards the end, the game could do with Harry’s energy and enthusiasm. He came on and did really well.

‘He had a couple of nice touches, was probably unlucky not to get a free-kick on the edge of the box late on and I was thrilled for him.’