Portsmouth title winner and ex-Coventry and Wolves man trialling with League Two club after double disappointment

A Pompey title winner is trialling with a League Two club as he chases a new footballing home.

Ben Stevenson was released by Cambridge United at the end of last season following relegation from League One, capping a miserable 2024-25.

That double disappointment arrived just 12 months after being part of John Mousinho’s triumphant squad which was crowned champions with two games to spare.

The midfielder subsequently featured just twice more for the Blues and had his contract cancelled in January, enabling him to seal a short-term move to the U’s.

Now the 28-year-old is training with Notts County in a bid to earn a new deal following the frustrations of last season.

Taken on Notts County tour to Germany

Stevenson has been with the Magpies since the start of the month and featured in a friendly against Alfreton Town.

He subsequently joined Martin Paterson’s squad for their three-match pre-season tour to Germany as the League Two outfit continue to cast their eye over the ex-Coventry man.

The midfielder then featured against Darmstadt, Kaiserslautern and Stuttgarter Kickers during the tour, before Notts County returned home last week.

The Magpies have yet to officially declare Stevenson’s ongoing presence, although supporters have identified him, while he was included in a squad photo posted on the club’s official account at the end of their stay in Germany.

It remains to be seen whether he stays with Paterson’s side, although supporters have praised the former Coventry man’s performances during a number of friendlies this summer.

Hugely frustrating 2024-25

Certainly Stevenson will be hoping for a change of fortune following a frustrating 2024-25 which saw him not even registered in Pompey’s 25-man Football League squad from September, thereby unable to play.

Recruited on a free transfer from Forest Green in June 2023, where the Blues’ sporting director Rich Hughes had also signed him, the midfielder went on to make 10 appearances and scored once in the League One title success.

However, that consisted of just one league start as he offered solid cover for Marlon Pack, Joe Morrell and Alex Robertson.

Yet Stevenson’s season was cruelly cut short in January after sustaining knee ligament damage in training - the same session in which Alex Robertson was also ruled out for the campaign with a hamstring tear.

Omitted from Pompey’s 25-man Football League squad

Following promotion to the Championship, in the opening weeks he started against Millwall in the Carabao Cup and featured off the bench against Luton in the league.

However, with a 25-man squad required to be named by the Football League, he was omitted along with Tom Lowery. As a consequence, they couldn’t play matches for the Blues, although continued to train.

Stevenson then completed a free transfer move to Cambridge in January, totalling 17 games, although was unable to prevent their relegation to League Two.

Now he’s hoping to win a contract at Notts County, who last season lost in the play-off semi-finals to eventual winners AFC Wimbledon.

Your Next Pompey Story: The Slovakia interview which sheds light on Callum Lang’s Pompey mindset