From South Stand spectator to Portsmouth match-winner: The comeback kid who refused to give up hope

A month ago he was omitted from Pompey’s squad and watched first-team matches from the South Stand.

Now a rejuvenated Christian Saydee has been restored as an attacking focal point in the push for the Championship.

The former Bournemouth man couldn’t be accommodated in John Mousinho’s 18-man squad for last month’s trip to Carlisle and then Cambridge United’s visit to Fratton Park.

Injury aside, it represented the first occasion this season Saydee hadn’t been included on match-day duty for the League One leaders.

However, with injuries flinging open the doors once more, he appeared off the bench to net the winner against Oxford United, while Tuesday night signalled a first start since January 13.

Yet the resilient 21-year-old never lost the belief that he’d be back.

Saydee told The News: ‘Who knows, if I didn’t miss those games I might not have had the hunger to score against Oxford.

‘It happens with football, you have to take everything on the chin and push and push, trying to make yourself better. Don’t beat yourself up about it too much, especially when the group is doing so well, you don't have time to dwell on things.

‘My response was very important. The coaches had me doing extras with Zesh (Rehman) in training and Max (Whittingham) in the gym, so I feel like it helped me a lot.

‘Of course you want to be around the squad and it’s frustrating when you first find out that you’re not. But you just have to use that aggression to go out there and show everyone what you can do.

‘Conor Shaughnessy is a great example for me. He wasn’t in the squad for the first game, when you look back now you think it’s crazy, but the gaffer has his decisions.

‘These things come with football and make me stronger. If you go through it and beat yourself up about it, when it happens again you’ll continue to beat yourself up. You must remain positive.

‘You’ve got to get over it and keep pushing.’

Saydee has made 34 appearances in his maiden Fratton Park season, of which 20 outings have come from the bench.

Yet while he believes he has improved as a player, he remains disappointed with a goal return of three.

He added: ‘I have 100 per cent improved. Compared to last season, I probably haven’t got as many goals as I wanted to, but my all-round game is a lot better and the confidence in myself is also a lot better.

‘Learning different ways to fit into the side has been really good for me.’