A reminder of an unsatisfactory Portsmouth transfer window - but Charlton striker has undoubted talent

It was an opportunity to consolidate, strengthen and ensure an automatic promotion place wasn't surrendered.

Instead, it proved the Blues' downfall in their bid for the Championship.

Ben Thompson's recall to Millwall was a cataclysmic blow that couldn’t be prevented. He was the linchpin during the first half of the season when Kenny Jackett's men set the pace at the summit of League One.

And even though they'd been out of the starting XI for the majority of the time, Andre Green and David Wheeler's loan returns – to Aston Villa and QPR respectively – also hit Pompey.

Yet how the trio were replaced proved unsatisfactory. The recruitment wasn’t good enough.

In fairness, there were some mitigating circumstances. Andy Cannon sustained a thigh injury that restricted him to just two appearances.

The midfielder's now underlining his qualities in the team this season and could well have added similar spark had he remained fit.

Bryn Morris also was struggling with a hip problem that transpired to him being sidelined him for 14 months. Beforehand, he’d caught the eye at Wycombe and had been wanted by eventual-champions Luton.

But the four loan players who arrived also couldn't make the impact required to inspire a second-tier return.

James Vaughan and Lloyd Isgrove were recruited merely as back-up players should any injuries occur. The latter didn't feature for a single minute.

Viv Solomon-Otabor displayed glimpses of his raw talent but his Fratton legacy ultimately is that offside goal against Peterborough.

It was Omar Bogle who played the biggest part of the January loan quartet and he will be back at Fratton Park for the first time when Charlton visit tomorrow.

Arriving from Cardiff, he was a striker with Championship pedigree, having spent the first half of the 2018-19 campaign at Birmingham.

Certainly, he couldn't have made a better impression on debut, coming off the bench to net in a 3-2 loss at Luton.

A home debut against Doncaster next time out would yield another goal and he'd go on to race to four strikes in just eight matches.

At that point, his PO4 stock was at its zenith, with sections of the Fratton faithful already calling for him to be snapped up permanently.

But following his final Blues goal in a 2-0 win over Scunthorpe on March 16, his contributions would jettison.

The ex-Wigan forward made only six more appearances – including a start in the Checkatrade Trophy final triumph against Sunderland – yet he could get nowhere near the heights he'd previously hit.

Injuries were a factor, summed up when he missed the play-off semi-final second leg with Sunderland after sustaining a groin injury in training. Bogle was earmarked to start that game next to Oli Hawkins up front.

But even in the previous games he was available for, his performance levels had markedly dipped.

Jackett pondered bringing him back to Fratton Park in the summer of 2019 and Bogle revealed himself he was open to it. Instead, Pompey swooped for Ellis Harrison and John Marquis.

Bogle had another nomadic season last term, initially breaking his way back into the fold at Cardiff before going out on loan to Dutch side Den Haag.

It was no shock the 27-year-old was released by the south Wales outfit in June, having been surplus to requirements by boss Neil Harris.

Perhaps what was more surprising was how long it took him to find a new home. Well-travelled, yes, but it’s hard to dispute his prowess in the final third.

A return to Grimsby was mooted but a drop to League Two was always fanciful.

Instead, he penned a one-year deal at a Charlton outfit expected to be in the League One promotion mix weeks into the season. In truth, it’s the level he deserves to be playing at.

When Bogle's back on the south coast tomorrow, fans won't need much of a reminder of how talented he was – and remains – on his day.

But it’ll cause supporters aplenty to reminisce about that January transfer window in 2019 and, not for the first time, think "what if?"

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

The News has launched a new subscription offer which gives you unlimited access to all of our Pompey coverage.

You can subscribe here to get the latest news and transfer updates from Fratton Park - and to support our local team of expert Pompey writers.