Is a homecoming on the cards for Portsmouth great after Luton Town exit?

It was one of the first things he said when his Pompey association came to a close seven years ago.
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Andy Awford has always felt he’d be back at the club he served so loyally as a player, coach, academy boss and manager.

Has that day now moved a sizeable step closer?

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The much-vaunted search for a new head of football operations is continuing, while Liam Daish has recently announced his academy exit from his position as lead development phase coach at the end of the season.

The suggestion is the football operations position will be of crucial significance moving forward - with the role afforded further reaching responsibility than that handed to previous incumbent Roberton Gagliardi.

What is pretty obvious is Awford’s among that group somewhere.

Pompey great Andy AwfordPompey great Andy Awford
Pompey great Andy Awford
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What is also up for debate is his suitability to the positions up for grabs.

‘That person will have a big influence on recruitment,’ Pompey CEO told The News of the football operations role yesterday.

‘He will support the manager, and have a big influence on supporting what (academy manager) Greg (Miller) is trying to do, in particular that big strategic overhaul of the Academy he has been undertaking over the last nine months.

There’s absolutely no doubt Awford has developed a reputation as one of the outstanding figures in academy football in England.

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His standing was built at Pompey, where he played a significant role in aiding the development of the likes of Jed Wallace, Adam Webster, Conor Chaplin, Ben Close and Dan Butler.

And it’s a status he’s only developed in his time as academy and development manager at Kenilworth Road.

Defender James Justin emerged on Awford’s watch with the Hatters, going on to become a Premier League player with Leicester - netting his hometown club £8m in the process.

Awford also filled the Luton academy trophy cabinet in that time, as well as guiding them to the FA Youth Cup quarter-finals.

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Work establishing a development squad at the Championship side has been carried out, with the aim of progressing to Category 2 level.

These are all transferable skills, but would Awford want to go from a lead academy role at a Premier League-chasing club to a coaching position at a League One side?

That’s unlikely, but, similarly is an overarching football operations role with a focus on recruitment the right position for the man who made 372 Blues appearances?

There’s little doubt there’s the appetite from supporters to see the hall of famer back at the club he served so loyally.

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