Etter å ha blitt frigitt av Pompey i 2010, returnerer Marlon Pack (31) til Pompey. Nå med nesten 500 ligakamper i beltet, mange av dem i Championship.

NYHETER: Marlon Pack er født i Portsmouth, vokste opp som Pompey-supporter med sesongkort på Fratton Park og spilte for vårt akademi fram til Steve Cotterill valgte å la han gå i 2010. Han hadde spilt to kamper for Pompey.

Etter å ha spilt nesten 150 kamper for Cheltenham (League Two), ble det Bristol City på Pack fra 2013 til 2019. Han kom til dem da de var i League One, men var med på opprykk til Championship og har en rekke sesonger bak seg i Championship med dem før han i 2019 gikk til divisjonskollega Cardiff. Pack var kaptein i Bristol City og spilte nesten 300 kamper for dem før han gikk til Cardiff.

I Cardiff var han en fast del av startelleveren i sine to første sesonger, mens han forrige sesong måtte nøye seg med 24 ligakamper. Totalt ble det over 100 kamper for Cardiff på sine tre sesonger i Wales.

Da kontrakten hans gikk ut sommeren 2022 hadde han en rekke muligheter og var ønsket av flere klubber, men han valgte å komme hjem til Portsmouth. Nå er målet å rykke opp til Championship med Pompey.

SE OGSÅ: Marlon Packs spillerprofil

Danny Cowleys kommentarer

«It’s one that we’ve been working hard on ever since we knew that he was available. We were aware of his ties with the club, but didn’t quite realise just how much it and the city meant to him.

The families of Marlon and his wife live in Portsmouth and so we were able to pull on his heartstrings to make it happen! He’s had offers from other clubs this summer, but he started his career here and it would be brilliant for him to end it here and close the circle.

We moan a lot when news about transfers gets out, but when this got into the papers, then a lot of people Marlon is close to were leaning on him! There aren’t many contracts I’ve done where a player has asked for tickets as part of the deal and that says a lot about the number of Pompey fans among his family and friends.

Marlon ticks so many boxes for us. He’s a ball handler and has a fantastic range of passing, while he’s very good in the defensive transition. His positional play is excellent and there’s so much to his game, but we’re also excited by the leadership he’ll provide off the pitch. We’re working hard to connect this group with the people of Portsmouth and there’s no better way than to sign someone who knows the area and what it takes to be successful.

“It’s really important for us to bring in the right players and the qualities our fans are looking for can be found in Marlon.”

Marlon Packs spillerprofil

«I’m really happy. It’s been a weird couple of weeks and now I’ve gone full circle by coming home. I was afforded the opportunity to play for Pompey again – and it was an opportunity that I couldn’t turn down. This is my hometown club and the one I supported as a kid, but I also liked the project that was going on. I’ve seen the pictures of the redevelopment of the stadium and there’s work going on at the training ground.

There were honest chats with the manager and Nicky, and I feel I can play a part in achieving success in a Pompey shirt. I’ll feel at home at Fratton Park, having been there as a season ticket holder when I was younger and I’ve already seen a few familiar faces. It was disappointing how it ended here, but when I look at what I’ve achieved since, that helped to mould my career.

At the time it was hard, although it really helped me to develop both as a player and also as a person. This club has changed massively – there have been some good times and some unfortunate times. Hopefully there are a lot of good times now on the horizon. I’ve had numerous messages from people asking if I was coming back and although there’s no guarantee of success, I can guarantee that I’ll do my best for this football club.”