The heartening pre-season sight to excite Portsmouth faithful as forgotten Fulham signing returns
The luckless ex-Fulham defender has still to play for Pompey following injury
It was a mere three-second glimpse, but long enough to deliver a powerful message - Ibane Bowat is back.
The forgotten signing has still to feature for Pompey, almost 10 months after joining for an undisclosed fee from Fulham.
Just 12 days into his Fratton Park career, the highly-regarded defender sustained a serious knee injury while shooting in a small-sided game in training. As a consequence, his season was over in September.
To date, Bowat’s sole first-team involvement was as an unused substitute in a 3-1 home defeat to Sunderland in August 2024.
Reassuringly, however, his presence was captured by Pompey’s social media team, who posted a brief video of the squad’s return for pre-season training on Tuesday.
Apparently in the gym, potentially lifting weights, the 22-year-old’s moment on camera was a little ambiguous as he embarked on some form of physical exercise judging by his reaction.
Not that it mattered. The sight of the former Scotland under-21 international’s involvement sent out a heartening reminder to the Fratton faithful about a player they have yet to see in action.
Portsmouth’s pre-season return
With the opening two days of pre-season dedicated to testing, it remains to be seen whether Bowat is ready for first-team involvement, although he had returned to training alongside Paddy Lane during the final week of last term.
Still, the well-worn cliche about a returning player being like a new signing has never been more apt. Certainly how he fares as the summer schedule progresses will be fascinating.
‘I think he will be one the fans will enjoy seeing’
Sporting director Rich Hughes, who oversaw Bowat’s arrival, spoke in May about how fans will ‘enjoy’ seeing the left-footed centre-half’s eventual return.
‘He had a good season playing competitive football last year and I think will be one the fans will enjoy seeing.’
Hughes refers to the 2023-24 campaign, which Bowat spent on loan with TSV Hartberg in the Austrian Bundesliga.
Operating as a left-sided central defender, he started 31 league matches and scored once as they finished fifth, thereby also qualifying for the Uefa Conference League play-offs.
In November 2023, he came up against future Pompey team-mate Nicolas Schmid, who was playing in goal for BW Linz. Bowat’s team claimed the honours with a 3-2 success.
Indeed, he never featured for Fulham, with all his first-team experience exclusively coming from loan spells abroad, having also represented Dutch top-flight side Den Bosch in 2022-23.
He made 16 starts, again as a left-sided centre-half, as they finished 19th in the Eerste Divisie, but managed to avoid relegation.
Scotland under-21 recognition
On the international front, the Kingston upon Thames-born Bowat has made six appearances for Scotland Under-21s, qualifying through his maternal grandmother, who hails from Fife.
He started four of their qualification games for the European Under-21 Championships, most recently a goalless draw with Hungary in November 2023, although they failed to qualify.
Turning 23 in September, his days with the Under-21s are now over, but Bowat has other matters to focus on at present, namely challenging for a Pompey spot.
And every single member of the Fratton faithful will be intrigued to see their 10-month-old - but new - signing finally in action.