Rangers man pinpoints key factor which can help Portsmouth fend off incoming EFL wage cap impact

Blues loanee Ross McCrorie is hopeful the club where he spent this term can finally make it to the Championship at the fourth time of asking.

And the Rangers man has pinpointed their existing attacking strength as being a key factor in getting it right next season.

There’s little doubt a proposed £2.5m cap is going to hurt Pompey with their existing wage bill around £4m, but McCrorie pointed out having the likes of Ellis Harrison, John Marquis, Ronan Curtis, Marcus Harness and Ryan Williams in their camp is a big bonus.

He said: ‘I hope they can go up, I’ll certainly be watching them.

‘I think they’ve got a good squad.

‘There’s a lot of players who’ve left and I know there’s the salary cap coming in which might affect them signing players.

‘I think there’s a good attack there, though, at Pompey.

‘I’m hoping they do it anyway because they’re a big club and they shouldn’t be in League One.

‘It’s where they find themselves at the moment anyway so I really hope they can get up and find their way into the Championship.’

McCrorie has returned to his parent club and is unlikely to return next term, but admitted his stay over the past season provided him with some surprises.

He added: ‘I already knew about Pompey from when I was younger, but I didn’t really realise how big a club they are.

‘It’s even all the surrounding areas (who are fans).

‘When you go to England in other places they seem to support everybody, but when you go to Portsmouth it’s Pompey.

‘Everyone in that area and even the surrounding villages and towns are all Pompey fans.

‘It’s great when you see that support. I mean 50,000 for Wembley and they went pretty quick. It just goes to show how big a club Pompey really is.’

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