How Portsmouth could lure likes of Newcastle's Matt Ritchie, Crystal Palace's Joel Ward and Cardiff's Marlon Pack back to Fratton

Blues winger Ryan Williams is confident the club could lure back men who’ve had excellent careers in the Premier League and Championship, after leaving PO4.

But the Aussie believes executing such an exciting plan hinges on the club making it to the Championship.

Williams pinpointed the likes of Matt Ritchie, Joel Ward, Marlon Pack and Jason Pearce as the kind of players he feels would be keen to pull on a royal blue shirt again.

The 26-year-old feels a mix of Pompey’s standing, geographical location and emotional connection with their former talents works in their favour.

And he believes that could lead to his club establishing themselves in the second tier once again.

He said: ‘The key is to get up.

‘I honestly think if we get up we will stay up, because that’s the kind of club we are.

‘I do think because of where we are financially and also where we are on the map, I do think we’d be able to attract players.

‘Because of the seaside, not being too far from London and there’s quite a few boys from down here, I do think if we got up and got the recruitment right it would be great.

‘This could be a proper south coast club if we could bring some of the south coast club boys back like Matt Ritchie, Marlon Pack and people like that.

‘Then us as fans can connect to the club through them.

‘There’s a lot of good players from around here like Wardy, Bassy and Closey.

‘Marlon was a couple of years older and left when I was in the 18s.

‘I remember watching Matt play and there’s players like Jason Pearce who I’ve played against a couple of times down the years.’

Williams is well placed to judge Pompey’s appeal after returning to the club himself last year from Rotherham.

He left a club struggling financially for Fulham in 2012, two years after arriving in the country from Australia.

The Socceroo came through the ranks with plenty of the players he feels Pompey would be able to attract.

Williams also believes Pompey’s status in the Championship will work in their favour.

After spending years in the lower divisions as a big fish in a small pond, the former Rotherham man reckons his club would be ranked as outsiders in a higher league awash with money.

Williams added: ‘I think we’re a club which works better being the underdog I think.

‘If we were to get to the Championship and there were some big teams coming down to Fratton on a Tuesday night to a full ground, it would be so enjoyable - and work in our favour.’

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