Rich Hughes' classy message to rejected trio as Portsmouth prepare to wield squad axe

With the Blues required to name a 25-man squad in accordance with Football League rules, three players will miss out.

As a consequence, they will not be registered for Pompey until January, ensuring they cannot be considered for first-team duty for the remainder of 2024.

The Blues were open to offloading Ben Stevenson and Tom Lowery late in the recent transfer window, yet, despite attracting degrees of interest, both remain.

Subsequently they are unlikely to be included in the 25-man squad - leaving one more required, with the injured Colby Bishop a possibility.

Hughes wouldn’t be drawn on potential names, yet insists the three who miss out won’t be ostracised and are to continue training with the first-team.

The sporting director told The News: ‘There were probably a few options for a few players to leave on deadline, but, because of the way the window falls with the season having already started, deals must be right for all parties. We’ll always be respectful of that.

‘Nobody falls out if players don’t fit the squad list, they have been informed of that and they know how it might reflect on them.

‘One of the strengths of John, the coaching staff, and us as football club is no door ever gets slammed shut, I don’t think there's any point, you have to keep as many opportunities and options available.

‘We’ll re-assess in January and, if there are opportunities for those players, we’ll look at every one in its merit with no prejudice of anything which has gone on before.

‘We are three players over and that's a conversation which will happen, we all have our ideas and philosophies of where that might sit.

‘We’ll make the best decision for the football club. The players that fall on it won’t ever be cast aside, they’ll be part of it, and it will be something we review in January.

‘Whether they work their way back into the group or look for different options, whatever that will be, we will act accordingly to do that - and they will continue to train with the first-team.’

Hughes holds up Denver Hume as an example of an out-of-favour player remaining part of John Mousinho’s group.

Despite being unable to offload him in the summer 2023 transfer window, the left-back still made two Bristol Street Motors Trophy appearances, before joining Grimsby in January.

Hughes added: ‘It was a well-documented situation with Denver Hume last season in terms of him looking for a move away in the August transfer window and it didn’t transpire for him.

‘He continued to train with the group and was named on the bench in the league at Burton (November 2023). At no point - and I am sure Denver will corroborate this - he was never cast aside for anything.

‘He was told he would be on the periphery of the squad, but trained with the group, he worked hard and, testament to Denver, he got a move to Grimsby and went straight into their team.’