'Desperate measures': How a text message rescued the career of Portsmouth's ex-Norwich and Arsenal starlet

By his own admission, deepening fears over his footballing future required Josh Martin to take ‘desperate measures’.

With seven weeks of the season having passed, the former Norwich and Arsenal attacker remained without a club.

Laudably, the 22-year-old had maintained fitness under a personal trainer, with daily sessions held on playing fields in Farlington and Warblington.

Nonetheless, with September nearing an end, the former Premier League performer still had nobody to play for.

Then Martin embarked on a leap into the unknown by texting Pompey sporting director Rich Hughes, declaring his availability in the hope for a career lifeline.

Fortunately for the attacker, his proactive move paid dividends - and today he’s potentially seven matches away from the League One title.

‘You're just a player, but when you aren’t playing you think “Okay, how can I get myself playing again?”. You kind of go through desperate measures,’ the likeable Martin told The News.

‘There were little talks going on between my agent and Pompey, but I just wanted to know what the situation was - so I dropped Rich Hughes a message.

‘I wanted him to know I am here, I’m available, I would like to play for your club. If you don’t ask, you don’t get, I suppose. A couple of days later he called me and said “Come in”.

‘I just wanted to take control of it as much as I could. The fact I messaged Rich reflected how nervous I was about my career. I would have usually left it to my agent, I’ve never done that before.

‘I’ve had a couple of poor decisions in terms of loan clubs I have gone to, that’s why I was so adamant in getting in touch with Rich myself and making it happen. This was a good opportunity.

‘I thought I would take things into my own hands, not let another person guide me somewhere else. I had to take my career where I wanted it to go and make sure it happens.

‘It’s crazy how it has happened - now I’m on the verge of promotion.’

Hailing from Luton, Martin moved to the south coast in the summer to be with long-term girlfriend Clemmy.

The pair had met through Instagram while the winger was on loan at MK Dons from Norwich in 2021-22, later living together in Leeds during another loan spell, this time at Barnsley.

When his Norwich contract expired in the summer following 16 appearances and one goal, the couple decided to return to Clemmy’s native Warblington, living with her family.

It turned out to be the right place at the right time for Martin, who impressed during a six-week trial with the League One leaders to earn a two-month deal in November.

He added: ‘My contract ended with Norwich and I had options, there was interest, but not from clubs I felt I could take my game and progress.

‘It was a case of looking after myself, waiting for the right opportunity. I had moved to Warblington to live with my missus, we are in the process of getting our own place and living with her family until our side of things are sorted.

‘I had been training down Farlington with a personal trainer from the area, doing bits and pieces everyday to keep myself fit. However, there are points when you think: “Should I drop to a place where I don’t think I should be, but may have to go?”.

‘It’s that risk v reward situation and I took the risky option, 100 per cent. If I had stayed without a club, it would have been my fault, but I took that risk and I feel the reward is greater now I’m at Pompey.

‘Once I found out Pompey had a couple of injuries and maybe there was an opportunity, I didn’t want to miss that. I knew it would be a club which suited me, so I thought I’d take matters into my own hands and make sure it happened.

‘I feel this club suits my style. The more I play, the more comfortable I feel then I’ll perform and get better and better and better. I’m the type of player that, when I keep coming on and playing, you will get more and more out of me.

‘That working hard in parks in Warblington and Farlington definitely worked, I was already fit when I arrived at Pompey so could get straight into it. I was already at a point where I could play 55-60 minutes, it wasn’t too much of a jump.

‘I’ve put a lot of hard work in and got myself in the right place at the right time, the stars aligned.’

With Pompey’s squad blighted by injury, Martin readily agreed in January to remain at Fratton Park for the remainder of the campaign, despite other interest.

He has subsequently totalled nine appearances, even earning bench selection ahead of marquee summer signings Anthony Scully and Gavin Whyte on occasions.

It may not have represented the regular game time the ex-Norwich man would perhaps have anticipated, but there’s a reason why he is rarely seen without a smile.

Martin said: ‘Staying at Pompey in January was a no-brainer. I would rather be in a team which suits my style - like here - than any other League One team.

‘I look back and it has been pretty crazy how I’ve come to be here. My aim now is to play as much as possible, help the team as much as possible, get some goals, some assists and win the league. It’s as simple as that!

‘I love it here, I love Pompey, it’s an adopted home for me. I may not originally be from Pompey, but it’s my new home now and I want to be here for as long as I can.

‘You hear these stories in football, but, when it’s your own story, you don’t quite realise it. Having come through the other side in a positive way, it then hits you.

‘Hopefully if we get promotion, hopefully I can extend my deal and stay here for longer and play in the Championship next year. Now that would be an even better story.’