Former Portsmouth youngsters set for Eredivise and battles against Ajax and PSV after winning promotion with Wim Jonk's FC Volendam

That’s after their current employers, FC Volendam, booked their promotion to the Dutch top-flight with a 2-1 win at Den Bosch on Friday night – with the former scoring his maiden goal for the club.

The duo have been with Wim Jonk’s side since 2020, with Maloney – who made five appearances for the Blues – choosing to pursue a career away from Fratton Park after a decade with the south coast side.

Flint, on the other hand, was released by Pompey after 11 years of service and had a stint at non-league Bognor before making the move to Volendam.

A freak injury to Maloney has hampered his progress, with the 20-year-old restricted to just seven appearances for the Kras Stadion outfit’s reserve team this season.

For Waterlooville’s Flint, though, he has firmly established himself as a regular as the campaign has progressed, making 13 appearances since mid-December and starting six of Volendam’s past seven games.

They’ve all come as a centre-back as well, with the 21-year-old having come through the Fratton Park ranks as a midfielder.

His Pompey debut against Norwich under-21s in the 2019-20 Papa John’s Trophy came in the Blues’ engine room – as did his only other appearance for his hometown club against Oxford in the same competition.

But now he’s making a name for himself as a central-defender – and one for an eye, too, has his opener against Den Bosch proved.

Tweeting about Volendam’s promotion, the former Fratton Park season-ticket holder said: ‘What a team! Delighted to score my first goal for the club and secure promotion. Eredivise here we come.’

The team’s promotion alongside FC Emmen comes after 13 years in the Eerste divisie, with their last season in the top flight back in 2009.

Back then, Flint and Maloney would have been seven and eight-year-olds respectively and just about to embark on youth careers at Pompey

Now they’re making history with Volendam in the Netherlands and preparing to take on the likes of Ajax, PSV and Feyenoord next season.