Pompey winger revelling in home comforts '“ at last

Matty Kennedy is congratulated for his winner at Gillingham by assistant manager Joe Gallen

The loanee from Cardiff is scheduled to remain at Fratton Park over the duration of the season.

It’s a temporary stay which has seen him often staring at four walls in a hotel room during his opening month on the south coast.

Now Kennedy has managed to secure his freedom, moving to an apartment within the city – much to his obvious delight.

Unquestionably, the winger has claimed an impressive return of two goals and two assists during his opening eight matches for the Blues.

The Scot is also revelling in new surroundings off the pitch – and hopeful he can raise his performances in the process.

Kennedy said: ‘I’ve been here five weeks now and finally moved into an apartment in Portsmouth and am getting settled.

‘I was in a hotel for a good few weeks, which was horrible, to be fair. Now I have moved into an apartment I can settle and have made a lot of new friends already.

‘In the hotel I was starting to run out of clothes, I needed somebody to wash them! Just stupid things like that.

‘Then there was looking at the same four walls after 10pm because you don’t know many people.

‘I’m quite close to a couple of the lads, such as Stu (O’Keefe) because we came from Cardiff together, so that has helped me.

‘But to get your own place is ideal and can definitely help me settle in quicker.

‘At Plymouth last season I was in a hotel for four weeks and then got an apartment down there, which really helped.

‘I enjoyed my time there and have a lot of good friends there now. It was a good season for me, I learnt a lot.’

Kennedy’s loan stay at Home Park for the second half of last season helped inspire them to second place in League Two.

It was a presence which yielded five goals in 17 appearances, although they were beaten to the title at the death by Pompey.

At the age of 22, the Blues represent the winger’s seventh loan spell as he continues to search for regular first-team football to aid his ongoing development.

With Kennedy’s contract up at Cardiff in the summer of 2018, it raises the potential for a permanent Fratton Park deal should both parties declare interest.

In the meantime, he continues to impress the Fratton faithful and was named as Sky’s match of the match during Sunday’s win at Gillingham.

Kennedy’s second goal for the club settled the contest – and tomorrow MK Dons visit as he seeks to maintain his encouraging form.

He added: ‘I think I have done all right so far, although I want to get more assists and goals.

‘I currently have two assists and two goals, but I need to create more for my team-mates every week and continue what I am doing. Then everyone will be happy.

‘I am only 22, I still have years ahead of me to try to progress. I’ve been out on loan so many times working with different managers.’