'One of the best in the Championship': Why Portsmouth have USA World Cup player to thank for impressive Luton loanee and ex-Arsenal and Hibs man

Now Pompey are providing the stage for him to demonstrate an England return has been worthwhile after all.

The 6ft 7in stopper last summer ditched regular first-team football at Hibernian in favour of a two-year deal at Luton.

A week later he was joined at Kenilworth Road by Ethan Horvath, a loan signing from Nottingham Forest and USA international who was at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Subsequently, Horvath has been the Hatters’ undisputed first choice, making 41 appearances so far, with a sole Championship absence through illness.

With 16 clean sheets for the fourth-placed side, only Coventry’s Ben Wilson has racked up more in the division this season.

As for Macey, he’s revelling in his own eye-catching form after arriving at Fratton in January as John Mousinho’s first Pompey signing.

The 28-year-old keeper told The News: ‘Being at a club like Luton in the Championship there’s obviously competition for places.

‘I think it’s clear to everyone that Ethan, who has played this season, has been one of the best keepers in the Championship. That’s not just my opinion, but others’ too.

‘His consistency levels have been as good as anyone I have seen in that league.

‘There is a very high level in the Championship this season, so many big clubs in that league now, so many ex-Premier League clubs.

‘Ethan is on loan from Forest, a Premier League club, which just shows the quality he has, with 16 clean sheets so far. Defensively, Luton are very solid and he has performed really well week in, week out.

‘For the other goalkeepers there it’s great because the team is doing well and we support each other as a group, but it obviously means there aren’t many opportunities and not much of a chance the manager is going to change it.

‘That’s the way it is at the moment, that’s just the reality of the situation. I’m not playing there and it has not worked out so far.

‘It has been frustrating, I played regularly at Hibs and absolutely loved my time there. I always had ambitions to play in the Championship, that’s why I made the decision to have a go at Luton.

‘It has not happened at the moment, but there is no reason why it can’t happen in the future.’

Macey’s sole Luton outing was in a 3-2 Carabao Cup home defeat to Newport County in August.

Instead Pompey have provided him with regular football, impressing in 12 appearances to date, while registering six clean sheets.

Yet he will return to the Championship club at the season’s end, with another year remaining on his Hatters contract.

Macey added: ‘Luton are such a great club and have done such amazing things considering the size and the budget.

‘There’s a culture there that everyone has to buy in, there’s no selfishness on my part. If you want to stay at that club you must support the boys, which I will do.

‘They are playing well, winning week in, week out, and in a good place.’