'We do it all for them': Portsmouth defender hails 'amazing' Fratton faithful and reveals why he heroically 'sucked it up' against QPR despite season-ending injury
Hayden Matthews has been speaking about his admiration for the Pompey fans and his last appearance for the Blues before injury struck
Hayden Matthews has hailed the ‘amazing’ support he’s received from the Fratton faithful from the very moment he joined Pompey in January.
The young Aussie defender revealed the collective welcoming embrace he received following his £1.2m move from Sydney FC allowed him to settle into his new PO4 surroundings and John Mousinho’s first-team straight away.
It also made the centre-back doubly determined not to let anyone down in the final moments of the Blues’ 2-1 win against QPR back on February 22 - a game that saw Matthews suffer ankle ligament damage that on any other day would have seen him automatically substituted.
On that occasion, though, Pompey had used all their substitutions for a fixture that went a long way to helping them secure Championship safety. The Blues needed everyone left on the pitch to help them get the victory they needed, and Matthews heroically stepped up to the plate by carrying on - albeit as a makeshift forward for the seven minutes of injury time that were added on.
It was a decision that probably meant he was unable to play any further part in Pompey’s successful survival bid, with the Australian international ruled out for the rest of the season after requiring an operation.
However, Matthews - who made six eye-catching appearances before injury struck - has no regrets. He claimed there was no way he was going to leave his team-mates, the manager or the fans in the lurch at their time of need.
Hayden Matthews on the Pompey fans and that QPR game
Matthews made the confession when he appeared on the United by Football Podcast in his native Australia.
When asked if there was anything he’d love to say to the fans back here in the UK, the 20-year-old said he owed them a debt of gratitude. He then revealed how he ‘sucked it up’ that day against QPR in a bid to do all he could to help Pompey get the victory they so wanted.
Matthews said: ‘Yeah, it's just a massive thank you, really. They (the fans) have been amazing. It was a really warm reception as soon as I arrived at the club. I felt welcomed and accepted into a big club, obviously with, I guess, a lot of expectation as well. And I feel like I've come in and it's helped me perform.
‘It's massively helped me perform. And I mean, we all do it for them at the end of the day. They are the club. They are the heart and soul of the club. So when I was injured and we had no subs left and there was 10 minutes to go in the game, up 2-1, there was no question in my mind that I was staying on that pitch.
‘As soon as I knew we had no subs, I hear the gaffer screaming at me and then the captain comes over and he's screaming at me to get up because the ball was in play.
‘It then goes out for a throw and I sit down and the captain comes over and he's like: “we don't have any subs”. He's like: “can you play on?” And this is like the 88th minute, seven minutes injury time.
‘(The gafffer) sticks me up top. And I knew straight away my ankle was done. I could tell straight away. I was like, there's ligaments that are not in the right place straight away. But after that, I was like, I just have to suck it up. I was like, I have to do what I can to get…
Hayden Matthews: I coudn’t run - but it was something I had to do
‘If we hadn't have won the game, I would have been absolutely heartbroken. I would have been absolutely heartbroken. But I was up top the only thing I remember from our team talk was like, don't let anything on your inside shoulder. So I was literally like, trying my best to show them outside.
‘I could not run. Could not run. Got through the game. And as soon as the game was done, I sat down, boot off. I was like a balloon.
‘And I think that definitely helped with the reception from the fans as well, too.
‘I saw a lot of positive comments and I got so many messages from every single fan just wishing me well and saying, I guess, thank you in a way for putting my heart on the line.
‘But for me, it was without a doubt, that was something I had to do. As soon as I knew there were no subs left, I was like, I'm staying on this pitch.’
‘Pompey fans are next level’
Matthews is currently concentrating on making his Pompey return during pre-season, with the defender to head back early from his trip back to Australia in order to ensure he’s fit to take part in training.
It’s now more than three months since he last featured for the Blues. Yet, his memories of the ‘next level’ Fratton faithful remain fresh.
He added: ‘Pompey fans… these guys are different. Honestly, next level. Almost every single person pretty much in Portsmouth is a Pompey fan and, like, they love the club - properly love the club with everything they have.
‘Our away end. We went to Sheffield United at Bramall Lane - our away end was louder, louder than the home fans. Wow!’