Impressed Danny Cowley issues challenge to Portsmouth starlet flourishing in Fratton Park absence

The 19-year-old has shone at Hampton & Richmond since a September loan switch, starting 15 times for the National League South club.

It follows a disappointing spell at National League Maidstone at the start of the season, where he featured for just 76 minutes of first-team football.

Regardless, Vincent has subsequently thrived at the Beavers as an automatic choice at left-back, with an initial month’s stay extended until January.

Certainly the ex-Bromley man represents a loan success story for the Blues, with Dan Gifford, Haji Mnoga and, to an extent, Harry Jewitt-White having frustrating times away from Fratton Park.

And with players permitted to represent three clubs in a non-league season, Cowley wants the resurgent Vincent to push himself towards a National League return.

Pompey’s head coach told The News: ‘I watched Liam at Hampton & Richmond the other Saturday.

‘It’s good, he’s playing regularly, he’s getting some good game time, he did fine in the match, which was against Farnborough.

‘It was just about him going out and playing regularly to build that physical robustness up, which he has done.

‘Now Liam is challenged to try to be the best player every week, which we think he should be at that level.

‘That is the aim between now and Christmas. If he does that then we will revisit the situation in January.

‘He’s on loan until then after the initial deal was extended, but he must do well enough to get a move further up – and for someone to want him.

‘Liam had a tough season last year, but he’s making good progress at Hampton & Richmond and we’re pleased with him.

‘We have brilliant relationships at Bognor, while Hampton manager Gary McCann is someone I know well, I had many battles with him when he was Hendon manager and he's a good guy.

‘It has been a good loan for Liam.’

Both non-league loans have offered an opportunity for Vincent to get first-team matches under his belt after missing a year of his Pompey career following a stress fracture of his left shin.

He finally made his maiden senior appearance for the Blues in a July friendly at the Hawks – 13 months after his Fratton Park arrival.

Vincent totalled seven appearances during the pre-season schedule, featuring for both the first-team and Pompey XI, before sent out on loan in August.

Cowley added: ‘What’s hard for us is you look at the likes of Bolton, Charlton, Ipswich, Derby and Sheffield Wednesday and they all have under-23 squads. It gives them a bit more control over the next stage of the pathway,

‘We don’t quite have that here yet. Having said that, once young players are physically ready to go out and play senior football, I want them playing proper football in non-league.

‘Instead the under-23s might be for late developers or young technical players who are physically maturing.

‘Then it’s about us building the right relationships and the right partnerships with the non-league clubs.’