Released Portsmouth defender Harry Kavanagh reveals reasons behind move to Gosport Borough as he begins journey to getting back into professional game

The full-back, 19, has opted to link up with Shaun Gale's Boro following on from his Pompey release a few weeks ago.

For Kavanagh, who spent 13 years coming through the ranks with the Blues, Gosport provides a familiar surrounding.

He spent a brief period on loan at Privett Park last term before the Southern League Premier South season curtailment.

Kavanagh admitted some of those he told of his move to Gosport have been surprised by his decision to drop down to step 3 level.

However, the Waterlooville-based defender reckons the chance to work with close family friend Gale and his assistant manager Scott Green, who he knows from his time at Pompey, as well as the opportunity to get minutes under his belt in senior football, will hopefully reap its rewards.

Kavanagh said: ‘To be fair, I’ve kept it quite quiet, but most people I have spoken to have been surprised and thought I would have gone higher.

‘For me, it’s not even about that, I need to earn the right to show that I can play higher.

‘This season I haven’t been able to do that, I haven’t played games, so I don’t feel I can say I can play at whatever level.

‘I just want to play games, I need to play as many games as I can, stay as fit as I can, put in as many good performances as I can and, ultimately, show people what I’m about, what I can do and hopefully opportunities will arise.

‘Obviously being at Gosport, they’ll help me to push on. The conversations I’ve had with Shaun, Scott and the chairman Iain (McInnes) - they’ve all said that the ultimate goal for them is to push me on.’

Kavanagh knows nothing other than Pompey having come through the ranks at his hometown club, but he says he's 'excited' to start a new chapter in his career.

He revealed there were 'one or two trials' lined up at Football League clubs after his Blues release. However, those did not come to fruition as he picked up an ankle ligament injury which kept him sidelined until the end of the season.

But now Kavanagh is looking forward to helping Gale's side - for however long that may be next term - after the support he's shown him since leaving Pompey.

The defender added: ‘It’s just to get back enjoying my football, really. It’s been a tough year.

‘The way things ended and towards the end (at Pompey) - it was tough.

‘For me, it’s just about playing games, getting back in the shop window and stepping up the ladder. I think playing for them two (Gale and Green) is probably the best place for me to do it.

‘There were one or two trials which I had lined up but, obviously, on the Thursday I was told I was going (from Pompey) and on the Monday I rolled my ankle and I did a grade one in my ligaments, so that kept me out until the end of the season.

‘The dream has not changed, I’ve just got to take a different direction now.

‘The route is going to have to be a bit different now.

‘I’ve never known anything different than Portsmouth Football Club so stepping out to take a different direction and step, I’m buzzing about it, I’m really excited.

‘My relationship with Shaun off the field is brilliant. He was probably the first person I spoke to when I got released, that was just on a personal level.

‘The first thing he said to me was to leave it a few days to settle then he said he wanted to help me find another Football League club. That was his aim for me and it just shows what a guy he is and how he wanted to help me.’