Jed Wallace delivers exciting analysis of exactly what Shaun Williams will bring to Portsmouth after Millwall exit

And the Blues are set to sign a player who’s been playing the best football of his career in recent seasons in the Championship with Millwall.

That’s the view of huge former Fratton favourite, Jed Wallace, who dismissed doubts about what the Republic of Ireland man still has to offer at 34, as Danny Cowley prepares to make him his latest summer arrival.

Wallace and Williams have been team-mates for five years at The Den, and the ex-Blues player of the season gave a ringing endorsement to what the former MK Dons man will offer at PO4.

He said: ‘Shaun is one of my absolute best friends.

‘He will be a great signing, an experienced player and someone who’s played their best football over the past three years - which you don’t often see.

‘But when you pick up your first Ireland cap at 31 and have played probably 100 Championship games over the past three years that says a lot.

‘Some people might think he’s coming towards the end of his career, but he’s certainly not.

‘He’s someone who’s got loads of football in him and is very well respected in the changing room.

‘He doesn’t lead by shouting and digging everyone out, but does it by doing everything right on the pitch, in the gym, on the training field and in his recovery.

‘He’s very popular in the changing room, and we are sad to see him go at Millwall.

‘We were desperately hoping the club would keep him, but after 300 games he’s decided to move on to a new challenge.

‘For Portsmouth he will be a brilliant signing and his skillset will be appreciated at Fratton Park, in terms of his composure and quality on the ball.

‘When you look at those technical midfield players who’ve been at Portsmouth over the past 20 years, he will be another one of them. I’m sure the Fratton fans will love watching him play.’

Williams had a number of suitors in League One, but Wallace explained once he’d spoken to Cowley it was Fratton Park where he wanted to play his football next season.

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And the man who made 121 appearances before moving to Wolves in 2015, believes his pal is well placed to make a big impact.

Wallace added: ‘I’ve done well at both clubs because they have that real feel to it.

‘So for Shaun to play 300 games as Millwall, you know Fratton Park is a place he’s going to enjoy playing his football.

‘There’s that hostility and pressure to play well, he will respond to.

‘At Millwall we had a play-off final in League One, then another play-off final where we went up.

‘There’s been two FA Cup quarter-final runs and we’ve finished in the top half of the Championship for three out of four years. Shaun has been a constant in that.

‘He’s a great player who had offers, in particular from a club who I think will be at the top of League One next season.

‘But once he spoke to Danny he really sold it to him, made him feel welcome and told him Portsmouth are going to play a type of football Willo wants to play.

‘He really made his name at MK Dons and everyone knows how they play. I think Danny wants to do something similar and that will definitely suit Willo.

‘I’m still in love with Portsmouth as a football club and a city, and I’m just buzzing he’s going there.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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