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Rich Hughes has vowed to reduce Pompey’s over-reliance on loans – and it’s a stance that has the backing of the Fratton faithful.

How the Blues approach the loan market this summer was one of the subject matters The News put to supporters in our end-of-season ‘Big Pompey Survey’.

It’s a topic that generates much debate, with the club’s most recent set of accounts for the year ending June 2022 showing that Blues spending on loan players rocketed by £738,000 during the 2021-22 season.

That figure will likely increase further when this term’s accounts are revealed in a year’s time, with Josh Koroma, Josh Griffiths, Owen Dale, Dane Scarlett, Joe Pigott, Matt Macey and Di’Shon Bernard all recently using Fratton Park as a stepping stone for their careers.

And with huge voids left to fill in the squad upon each player’s return to their parent club, it’s a strategy Hughes is keen to move away from.

There’s no guarantee the arrangement will be a success, either – as demonstrated by the likes of Koroma’s half-a-season stay at PO4.

So to avoid this costly exercise on an annual basis, the Fratton faithful – like Hughes – believe now is the time to scale down on its use.

A total of 58.7 per cent believe the loan market should still be utilised. But, tellingly, 47.1 per cent of votes cast said it should only be used to supplement the players the club already have.

Blackpool winger Owen Dale enjoyed an encouraging start to his season-long loan at Fratton Park but he wasn't able to sustain that early form over the majority of the 2022-23 campaign.

Meanwhile the second most popular choice of the four provided – that money spent on loans would probably be better used to make permanent signings – accounted for 37 per cent of the vote.

That’s a clear indication the current approach has fallen out of favour. Indeed, only 11.6 per cent agreed that bringing in extra quality loans that would otherwise not be affordable is the best approach.

A mere 4.3 per cent of the votes lodged were totally against the use of loans.

Heading into the summer transfer window, Pompey have an interest in bringing Macey and Bernard back on permanent deals.

However, despite their relative success on the south coast, there’s no guarantee that either player will return.

Dale, Pigott and Scarlett have departed without taking the Blues any closer to promotion-winning levels.

Like Koroma, keeper Griffiths returned to his parent club in January with mixed reviews.

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