'Striving for excellence': Portsmouth chief reveals latest crucial training ground investment
Pompey purchased their Copnor Road training base from Roko in June 2021, having previously leased it for seven years
The largest Portakabin had been earmarked for removal, having stood disused and fallen steadily into disrepair over the 12 months since vacated.
Now its summer transformation represents Pompey’s latest significant training ground improvement during ongoing pursuit of ‘excellence’, according to sporting director Rich Hughes.
The reprieved building has been repurposed and overhauled to now house the Blues’ Academy, allowing the youth set-up to relocate from the Pompey Health And Fitness Club.
It’s an extensive refurbishment of a building which previously served as the first-team’s base for a decade after Pompey had moved into the Copnor Road venue in December 2014 during fan ownership.
Now it will be the Academy’s home, thereby creating more space in the Pompey Health And Fitness Club for first-team requirements, having moved into the former Roko building in the summer of 2024.
And Hughes believes it epitomises the club’s ambition to continue raising standards in terms of facilities at their Hilsea training ground.
‘We have been able to invest a decent amount of money’
He told The News: ‘It’s a real step forward for the football club and another mark of progress as we continue striving for excellence.
‘One of the big changes we’ve made in recent years is moving into the Pompey Health And Fitness Club building and being able to have a first-class facility for the football club. We felt it was really important.
‘A challenge we’ve faced, though, was a bit of restriction on space as we continue to grow and the way in which we work keeps developing. So we were able to speak to the board in the summer - very heavily driven by myself and John - to get the Academy a purpose-built facility.
‘We have repurposed one of the Portakabins which we last operated out of a year or so ago to enable the Academy to have their own bespoke facility which, in turn, frees up more space in this building for us.
‘We’ve been able to invest a decent amount of money into it to make it fit for purpose - and are really pleased with it.
‘It means the Academy facilities have increased in standards and I really like the visual piece of migration from an Academy player over to the first-team building to become one of them. I think that’s a really important part of the journey.
‘What has been created is more office space, having their own analysis room now, plus Academy changing rooms and a common room area to give them everything they need to operate as an Academy befitting Portsmouth Football Club.
‘It’s definitely a step in the right direction and something we’ve wanted to do to help every aspect of the football club. It’s a really nice place for the Academy staff to work in and the boys to go.’
Portsmouth players’ input into changing room transformation
On top of the Academy department’s move, the first-team changing rooms at the training ground also underwent a summer overhaul.
Following extensive player input, headed by club captain Marlon Pack, the Blues now possess ‘state-of-the-art’ facilities to bring it in line with Championship standards.
And Hughes is delighted with the ongoing progress at the Blues’ training home.
He added: ‘Me and John seem to spend a lot of time playing Grand Designs around the training ground but, in terms of the changing rooms, we have a really senior group here and were happy for them to take a lead on that project.
‘That’s their space, they can put their own identity on it and make it into an environment they want it to be. A lot of the players were heavily involved in that process with Steve Cripps this summer to create the facility they want.
‘That’s another step in the right direction. It’s great when you’re showing players around the football club to give them the differentiation of where we were to where we are now.
‘We have a nice reception room where Ashleigh Emberson has a base to work from, state-of-the-art changing rooms, a state-of-the-art gym, more office space and more meeting space.’