Farnborough set to pull off double Portsmouth swoop with capture of second ex-Blues youngster in a week

Last week Adam Payce joined the National League South side on a 12-month deal following his summer exit from the Blues.

Now Dan Gifford is poised to follow him at Cherrywood Road, having been trialling with Spencer Day’s men.

The 19-year-old had a spell with the Hawks earlier in pre-season, appearing off the bench against Pompey in last month’s Westleigh Park friendly.

However, he couldn’t win a contract – and is now training with Farnborough.

Gifford came off the bench at half-time in Tuesday night’s 5-1 win at Knaphill, representing Boro’s final friendly of the summer.

Incidentally, Payce netted twice in the encounter as they now focus on Saturday’s season league opener at Chelmsford City, where Josh Oluwayemi has joined on loan.

For Gifford, it signalled a second outing for Farnborough, also appearing for the last 17 minutes in last Friday night’s 2-2 draw with Dorking.

The Emsworth youngster has been searching for a new club after leaving Pompey at the end of last season, along with Michael Jacobs, Kieron Freeman, Clark Robertson, Louis Thompson, Ryan Tunnicliffe, Jayden Reid and Alfie Bridgman.

The striker previously had loan spells at Weymouth and the Rocks last term, yet a Pompey first-team debut eluded him during his time at Fratton Park.

Although he was an unused substitute at Ipswich in the Papa Johns Trophy in November 2022, which Danny Cowley’s men won 2-0.

Still, Gifford impressed during two successful loan spells in the Isthmian Premier Division with the Rocks, last term reaching 10 goals in 27 matches.

The Pompey Academy graduate finished the 2021-22 campaign with 24 goals in all competitions, including 10 for Bognor.

That year, his development earned him the Blues’ Academy Player of the Season, while the Rocks’ crown him their Most Improved Player.

Now a free agent, Gifford is keen to test himself higher than the Isthmian Premier Division, bringing him to the attention of the Hawks and now Farnborough.

Former Pompey under-18 colleague Payce is already there, albeit a year younger, having himself had trials at Birmingham, Brentford, Colchester and Wycombe.

And Gifford is about to make it an ex-Pompey double as he looks to maintain his promising career.