Portsmouth boss named manager of the season as Blues trio make team of the year

Pompey boss John Mousinho has been named League One’s manager of the season at the EFL Awards.

And the Blues are celebrating further recognition at the event held last night in London, as a trio of players made the League One Team of the Season

Mousinho received recognition for his superb work in taking Pompey to the brink of winning the League One title, as he saw off competition from Peterborough’s Darren Ferguson and Stevenage’s Steve Evans to be crowned the third tier’s top boss.

Mousinho, who received the award from EFL CEO and former Blues administrator, Trevor Birch, said: ‘I've absolutely loved it. When the call came in, I didn't expect to be offered the job. I thank the club for taking that risk on me and it was a big risk, so it was a lot of faith that they put in me to do what we're trying to achieve. 

‘The players have been incredible this year and we've got three lads in the team of the season which gives me even more pride than winning this.

‘The Portsmouth fans over the last 15 years have gone through a fair bit. For them to be able to experience a bit of success would mean the world to everyone connected to the football club and give the fans a reward for all of the hardship they've been through.’

In further recognition, Will Norris, Conor Shaughnessy and skipper Marlon Pack were named in the divisional team of the season, with no other club having as much representation as Pompey.

Norris has kept 18 clean sheets in his maiden campaign at Fratton Park, with his ball-playing ability central to Pompey’s approach under Mousinho.

Shaughnessy has been a pillar of consistency since arriving from Burton Albion, while Pack’s ball-playing quality and leadership skills have been a fundamental part of his team’s success to date.

Pack was also short-listed for League One’s player of the season, with the award going to Peterborough’s Harrison Burrows.

League One Team of the Season: Will Norris (Pompey); Josh Dacres-Cogley (Bolton Wanderers), Conor Shaughnessy (Pompey), Eiran Cashin (Derby County), Harrison Burrows (Peterborough United); Nathaniel Mendez-Laing (Derby County), Marlon Pack (Pompey), Josh Sheehan (Bolton Wanderers), Ephron Mason-Clark (Peterborough United); Alfie May (Charlton Athletic), Jamie Reid (Stevenage).