Winning race for ex-Norwich centre-back would help Portsmouth right one wrong of last season

And a substantial factor behind ensuring there can be such defensive solidity at Pompey next season would be ensuring Sean Raggett returns to the club.

The centre-back is now officially a free agent after being released by Norwich.

Certainly, there have been calls from members of the Fratton faithful for the Blues to bring Raggett back to the south coast, after scoring two goals in 38 appearances during his loan spell.

If Pompey are going to have another crack at League One promotion for the upcoming season then defensively they can’t afford another disjointed opening.

At the start of 2019-20, the constant shuffling of the back four can be pinpointed as a reason why Pompey were unable to build any real consistency.

In the opening eight league matches, Jackett used no fewer than five different centre-back pairings.

There were mitigating circumstances in some cases, with summer arrival James Bolton's injury forcing Christian Burgess to operate in a makeshift right-back role against Blackpool and Burton.

But what we swiftly established was the departures of Matt Clarke and Nathan Thompson – coupled with Jack Whatmough being sidelined – unsettled the rearguard.

Jackett experimented with Tom Naylor and Oli Hawkins in central defence as he tried to stumble across a reliable duo.

It took until the eighth league game against Bolton when the boss finally discovered his favourite pairing.

Burgess was partnered next to Raggett and helped the Blues yield a 1-0 victory.

From that game onwards, it was Jackett’s preferred duo when they were both fit and available.

Burgess and Raggett built up a sound rapport, with the former's nous complementing the physicality of the former Dover man.

Raggett didn't fully convince in the early stages of his PO4 career and was on the end of some fan flak from sections of supporters.

However, he'd make steady improvements each game. Evidently, he was feeling his way back into the swing of things on the back of two serious ankle injuries he suffered at Rotherham the previous campaign.

Goals conceded started dried up and clean sheets became more frequent as Pompey edged themselves into the promotion picture.

By the end of the term, Raggett was fundamental to the Blues and he’d won over swathes of his critics.

When Burgess and Raggett played together in central defence, the Blues shipped just 18 goals from 25 league matches including the play-offs.

That's an average of 0.75 goals per game, which is the sort of ratio required to clinch automatic promotion.

We already know that one half of the duo won't be around next term, with Burgess joining Belgian side Royale Union Saint-Gilloise.

Should Raggett also not return then Pompey are risking making the same mistake they fell foul of 12 months ago – making substantial changes at the back.

Paul Downing and Whatmough are the only two senior options under contract.

The former hasn’t played in the third tier after September 17, while Whatmough's feeling his way back from a third serious knee injury.

To thrust them in together, as things stand, would be a gamble.

Raggett has admitted he's interested in returning to Fratton Park.

There'll be various facets that need to be thrashed out, though, with the ex-Lincoln man confessing he has other suitors.

With a wage cap potentially being implemented, the Blues could well struggle to meet the sort of demands Raggett would be looking for coming from a Championship salary – even if he took a drop.

But if a deal can be agreed then only one centre-back would have to change for the upcoming season.

With James Bolton under contract and Lee Brown also in negotiations over a new deal, just one change of personnel from the side at the final whistle against Oxford would be required.

That sort of continuity could be key.