January arrival quickly following the same trajectory as his Portsmouth predecessor

It was the deadliness of Steve Seddon's set-pieces that quickly endeared him to the Fratton faithful.
Charlie Daniels. Picture: Jason BrownCharlie Daniels. Picture: Jason Brown
Charlie Daniels. Picture: Jason Brown

Arriving as a stop-gap signing in January 2020 while Lee Brown and Brandon Haunstrup were injured, the on-loan Birmingham man's impact was instant.

His forays down the left earned rave reviews as he breathed a new lease of life into Pompey's League One promotion push.

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After moving to Fratton Park, Seddon took on the mantle of increasing the Blues' dead-ball potency.

On debut at Fleetwood in the FA Cup, his inviting corner yielded John Marquis' decisive goal.

Then in his next six games, Seddon's teasing crosses led to a further four goals.

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His eye-catching displays meant there was good reason why supporters wanted to see him back at PO4 during this season's January transfer window.

Steve Seddon. Picture: Daniel Chesterton/phcimages.comSteve Seddon. Picture: Daniel Chesterton/phcimages.com
Steve Seddon. Picture: Daniel Chesterton/phcimages.com

After Cam Pring’s loan spell was cut short by Bristol City, sections of fans felt Seddon – who’d returned to Birmingham from AFC Wimbledon – was the ideal replacement.

Yet the Blues boss would instead opt for the experience of Charlie Daniels after he departed Shrewsbury.

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In fairness, Pompey's set-piece threat wasn't an alarming concern before Daniels moved to the south coast.

Lee Brown, who served as first-choice left-back during the first half of the season, had been providing reliable balls into the box for the likes of Sean Raggett and Jack Whatmough.

However, since Daniels has taken over responsibilities, it’s cranked things up a level.

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A sumptuous, inswinging corner was met by Ronan Curtis at the back post, whose header was cleared off the line.

The 34-year-old has started Pompey’s subsequent three games and must be baffled how he’s yet to register an assist.

In the first half of the 2-2 draw with Plymouth, the ex-Leyton Orient whipped in corner after corner that wreaked havoc – but the Blues somehow couldn't apply the finishing touch.

Strictly speaking, Daniels won't officially go down as the assister for Ronan Curtis' eighth-minute breakthrough in the 2-0 win over Swindon on Tuesday.

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John Marquis grazed his head to Daniels’ swerving, dipping free-kick before the Irishman finished at the back post.

Still, Daniels was the one to engineer such an opportunity.

It's not just his set-pieces that have caught the eye, though.

Having been a regular in the Premier League with Bournemouth, there's panache and self-assurance to Daniels’ game when both in and out of possession.

They all augur well for the business end of the campaign as the Blues target automatic promotion.

For successive January transfer windows, Jackett was forced to recruit a left-back having previously not planned to do so.

For successive January transfer windows, they've made an immediate impact.