The exciting message to Portsmouth fans over new sporting director’s outstanding record for unearthing gems - including Cardiff City, Sunderland, Bristol City and Hull City talents

Danny Cowley believes Richard Hughes can drive the Blues’ plans to bring in and develop talent thrown on the scrapheap by others.

Hughes has a long record of bringing in academy cast-offs from other clubs, who were then moulded into assets at Forest Gren Rovers.

The likes of Kane Wilson, Ebou Adams, Liam Kitching and Vaughn Covil have gone on to join Championship clubs after leaving New Lawn, with talents such as Carl Winchester, Nathan McGinley and Nicky Cadden other notable examples from an impressive production line.

Pompey have shifted their recruitment plans to a stated policy of bringing in young talent who can be developed and sold on for a profit.

Cowley sees an addition in the 34-year-old who chimes perfectly with those plans.

He said: ‘We really like Rich’s track record in recruitment.

‘There’s the Ebou Adams, Kane Wilsons, Nicky Caddens and Co.

‘We like the idea of trying to find the best, young players who, for whatever reason, are available to us.

‘Then it’s for us to support them, help them and polish them to become the players we believe they can be.

‘We now have 10 of our own young players here, and maybe 10 playing a supporting role.

‘We want to get them to a place where they are playing a lead role. Rather than a support act they can become the lead act - that’s what we’re working towards.’

The ultimate dream for Pompey will be to see a conveyor belt of young talent come through the ranks from a young age, who eventually prosper at first-team level.

Under the Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) that is a huge challenge at present, with Category One clubs able to muscle in and pick off the finest young prospects.

That is done using a set compensation scheme as part of the plan, based around years spent at the club’s academy and eventual senior appearances.

Cowley added: ‘The dream is to get them into the system at eight, carry them through the age groups and then get them into the first team.

‘The reality is if they are good enough to play in Portsmouth’s first team, they’ve maybe already been stolen at under-14 or under-15. That seems to be what happens with the way EPPP (Elite Player Performance Plan) is set up.

‘But if that’s the case, we get the chance to take compensation from that and invest it back into the academy.

‘That will hopefully allow the academy to grow until one day they can’t steal our players.’