'It's obvious to see' - Matt Macey's reveals what stood out as soon as he completed his Portsmouth return

Being 6”7” allows Matt Macey to view things from a different perspective than most.

But you don’t need to be that tall to appreciate the difference in the Pompey he left to the Pompey he’s returned to following the completion of his Blues comeback on Friday.

The towering keeper rejoined John Mousinho’s side eight months after waving goodbye to the Fratton club outfit upon the completion of his loan move from Luton.

Back then, Pompey were on an upward trajectory under Mousinho, despite registering an eighth-place finish in the League One standings. Macey played a big part in that reinvention with nine clean sheets in 21 appearances.

However, the strides the Blues have made both on and off the pitch since then was one of the first things the new arrival noticed on his return to the club. A new-look squad following extensive summer surgery, training facilities that continue to improve, a new medical team, and a recently completed refurbished Fratton Park are just some of the visibles that would catch the eye immediately.

Of course, Pompey’s position at the top of the League One table is also a stand-out - and those notable improvements were obvious to Macey as soon as he made his Blues comeback.

When asked for his first impression after linking up with his Pompey team-mates for training on Friday, the keeper said: ‘It’s really good .Obviously the quality is high, I think the league position shows that the quality has got better. And everything about the club is heading in the right direction. There’s forward momentum, so it’s obvious to see as soon as you walk into the building.’

Macey, who arrived on a free transfer following the termination of his Luton contract in September, will compete with Will Norris and Ryan Schofield for a place in Mousinho’s team. His presence will undoubtedly improve the goalkeeping department - but he doesn’t believe it will upset the balance or camaraderie that already exited.

Macey added: ‘It seems like a really good group and I really enjoyed being with the goalkeepers. There’s a good union there, a good atmosphere and it’s a really nice place to be. I like to think I’ll fit in really easily. It’s a special breed, the goalkeepers. It’s clearly a good group going here. I just want to add to that and help keep moving it forward.’