Tornante's Roko training ground admission over potential Portsmouth Academy expansion

That’s the admission of Andy Redman, who has ruled out moving up to Category 2 status in the foreseeable future.

In June 2021, owners Tornante purchased the Roko venue for £3m, having previously operated under a long-term lease since 2014.

An overhaul of the gym and its indoor facilities is already underway and will this summer be rebranded as the Pompey Health And Fitness Club.

However, any ambitions to boost the Academy’s Category 3 status are currently unrealistic, according to board member Redman.

That is entirely due to the existing lack of space on the Roko site, which is adjacent to the Portsmouth City Council-owned Rugby Camp.

Redman told The News: ‘We currently don’t have room to become a Category 2 Academy.

‘There’s the Rugby Camp right next door, but I think that’s an easy question to answer.

‘Category 2 and Category 1 are out of sight of the land we currently have, you need more. It’s basically about the number of pitches, hours you can give the players and things like that.

‘It’s pretty far away, unfortunately, because of the limitation of land and open space here in Portsmouth, which is not a consideration of the football club.

‘Everyone else is playing other sports, walking their dog and doing 500 other things, so your council have to consider many factors other than just us.’

Meanwhile, a May completion date has previously been mooted for the Roko gym improvements.

In addition to the gym, work is also being carried out on the spa, swimming pool and changing room areas.

Further down the line, Pompey have plans to relocate all offices to the building, including introducing a dedicated gym for players, and creating an analysis suite and medical facilities.

Redman added: ‘Work is already in progress inside the building, which is where the most is happening right now.

‘We are enabling ourselves to bring the first-team and the Academy into a professional facility.

‘People who have visited the training ground historically won’t notice it now because it’s not done, but if they go back once a month for the next six months they will notice massive changes.

‘So that’s the first stage of it, then it’s figuring out the rest of the land, the pitches, there’s a lot to consider over there.

‘The biggest point, though, is that we control those decisions, whereas previously we couldn’t, so could only think about certain results.

‘Now we have the full spectrum – and I suspect there will be a lot of improvements there.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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