'Portsmouth fans may smirk, but that's what I think': Marlon Pack on reasons to be cheerful despite promotion frustration after Shrewsbury stalemate

But the midfielder is convinced the ‘building blocks’ are already present to construct a better challenge for the Championship next season.

The lad from Buckland returned to the south coast in the summer following 11 years away, during which he represented Cardiff, Bristol City and Cheltenham.

It was a reunion driven by his desire to earn promotion with the club he supports – and where he began his playing career.

Yet a frustrating point at Shrewsbury – the Blues’ fourth draw in five matches – appears to have ended that particular ambition, certainly for this season.

Although not admitting defeat, Pack has delivered his analysis of a season which promised so much and has, ultimately, failed to deliver.

And regardless of obvious disappointment, he still sees positive signs.

He told The News: ‘At the start of the season, I openly said I wanted to get promoted.

‘It wasn’t a throwaway comment, of course we do, that’s an expectation of Portsmouth Football Club - and rightly so.

‘There are still games to play and points to play for, but maybe matches like Saturday are where we’ve fallen short if we don't make the play-offs.

‘The potential is there, the building blocks are there, but we have to take ownership as a group because, at times, when there’s been an expectation to go out, win and perform, we have fallen short.

‘That’s disappointing, especially considering the position that we were in. Let’s get it right, the season looked dead and buried - and we clawed our way back.

‘We have got so close and it’s the last three games that we’re going to look back on – but shouldn’t, it’s more than that.

‘It is down to consistency. If you’re going to break the season up in thirds, we started really well, had a horrible run, then another good run.

‘At the end of the season, the table doesn’t lie and it has been an eye-opener, but I don’t think we are too far away.

‘People might smirk at that, but I really don’t think we are.’

Rob Street’s 53rd-minute header appeared to have put the Shrews on the way to a victory – until Pack levelled eight minutes from time for a 1-1 draw.

It leaves them six points off the play-offs with four matches remaining following a third straight draw.

He added: ‘Obviously the run we’ve been on has been great in regards to the points accumulated, but there’s an expectation of the club, the fan base and the players to win games.

‘In all fairness, Shrewsbury made it hard for us and we didn’t quite manage to find a way to break them down.

‘It’s down to us to go out and perform. The effort is always there and I know for a fact this group works hard to put on a performance, but, at times, you’re against external factors, against another 11 players, decisions, whatever.

‘It was just disappointing on Saturday that there was an opportunity to go on and win the game and we failed to do so.’