Ex-Portsmouth starlet handed career advice after quitting Bognor in battle to bounce back from controversial Blues exit

That’s the verdict of Rocks boss Robbie Blake, who allowed the 19-year-old to leave Nyewood Lane by mutual consent at the end of last week.

Bell has now signed for Isthmian League Premier Division rivals Horsham – and was handed an instant debut against Bishop’s Stortford on Saturday.

The youngster started the 2-0 loss, which puts them fifth in the table, two points ahead of eighth-placed Bognor having played a game more.

Still, it signals the end of a disappointing Bognor spell for Bell, who linked-up following a May 2021 release from Pompey which earned criticism from some supporters.

And Blake has explained his reasons behind releasing the youngster following 49 games and eight goals.

He told The News: ‘We felt it was important that Charlie went and had a fresh start.

‘I didn’t think it worked for him here and just felt he needed a new challenge – and we’ve granted that for him.

‘Good luck to Charlie, but we felt it was best that he left the club.

‘He might say he probably didn’t have enough playing time, but it is what it is, it’s a footballing decision and we wish Charlie all the best.

‘He’s got great technical ability, but sometimes you need the other side of the game to affect the game – and he wasn’t doing enough of that.

‘He had options in the pipeline and was contracted to us, so it was a case of cancelling that deal so he could move.

‘My advice to him would be to keep his head down, work hard, work hard, work hard. That’s the key to it.

‘If you work hard with a technical ability then you’ve got half a chance – and one of those was missing.

‘That’s just my opinion, he might think differently. It just didn’t fit and we wish him all the best.’

Bell made three Pompey appearances in the 2020-21 season under Kenny Jackett, all arriving in the Papa John’s Trophy.

However, he was among an Academy and third-year scholar clear-out in the summer of 2021, along with Harvey Rew, Alfie Stanley, Harry Kavanagh, Gerard Storey, Eoin Teggart, Harry Anderson and Taylor Seymour.

The majority of Bell’s Bognor appearances were from the bench, with 23 of his 49 appearance coming as starts, while he almost left to join Hungerford last season.

Blake added: ‘It’s not personal because I like Charlie as a person, it just wasn’t a fit that we felt was good going forward.

‘I am pretty sure he’ll say he can go on and do really well somewhere else and I wish him the best, I genuinely do.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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