'I wanted Portsmouth before they wanted me': How ex-Liverpool and Preston man dedicated his honeymoon towards securing Fratton Park move

Now his remarkable dedication is paying dividends with a regular spot in that very team – promotion-chasing Pompey.

Upon his release from Preston at the season’s end, the 28-year-old free agent pinpointed Fratton Park as a preferred destination as he weighed up his future.

Worryingly, however, Rafferty was still without a club when he headed off to Dubai and the Maldives with his new wife and their seven-month-old son for the honeymoon.

Then, three weeks into the Blues’ pre-season programme, the right-back secured the move he craved.

Rafferty told The News: ‘I did quite a lot of work in the summer before joining Pompey.

‘My missus will tell you, she will vouch for me, she was on the treadmill next to me nearly every day of our honeymoon in Dubai and the Maldives!

‘We were out there for two weeks, I was training almost every day despite not knowing where I was going. I was on the phone to my agent rollicking him, he will tell you as well.

‘As a footballer, I want to know where I’m at, I want a clear idea in my head where I’m going, it could be anywhere in the county or out of it. At the time I didn’t know.

‘So for the majority of my honeymoon, I did mostly treadmill work. Dubai has ridiculous heat and unless you go out in the morning, you can’t do much – and I’m definitely not the best morning person either.

‘I didn’t have a club, but, funnily enough, I had spoken to my missus about Pompey coming in for me, but that was purely hypothetical.

‘It’s a really good club in League One and I felt it was something that could be possible once leaving Preston.

‘You look at it on paper and think “I fancy that straight away” and we spoke about the possibility of that happening. Then when it came up, it just felt right to do it.’

While his future was still up in the air, Rafferty focused on July 30 – the start of the Football League season for whoever would be his club.

As it turned out, he lined-up for the Blues at right-back in a 3-3 draw at Sheffield Wednesday on the opening day.

And with eight Pompey appearances, he has received glowing praise from Danny Cowley.

Rafferty added: ‘If you don’t punish yourself when you’re off, then you’re punishing yourself when you come back in and blowing out your backside.

‘You've got to focus, I didn’t know where I was going to be playing, but I was looking towards the first game of the season. I knew I needed to get myself fit for that, no matter where I was going to be.

‘I wanted to be signed up somewhere for that game and, luckily enough, I was ready for it.’