Han var årets spiller da Pompey vant League One i 2023/24, men fikk en langt mindre rolle for Pompey i Championship i 2024/25.
NYHETER: Etter å ha returnert til Pompey sommeren 2022 har kaptein Marlon Pack nå gjennomført tre sesonger allerede. Han var svært sentral – og ble kåret til årets spiller – da Pompey vant League One i 2023/24. Denne sesongen har han spilt over 40 kamper, men mange av dem har vært som innbytter. I tillegg har mange av kampene han startet vært som midtstopper ettersom det var skadekrise i den posisjonen.
Pack har fått en del kritikk i sosiale medier denne sesongen for sine prestasjoner på banen, men han setter alltid laget og klubben foran seg selv, og det er han forberedt på å gjøre også neste sesong.
34-åringen avsluttet 2024/25-sesongen stort sett på benken, og skulle det skje også neste sesong er Pack klar til å bidra derfra:
«My role doesn’t change whether I’m starting, on the bench or not in the squad. If I’m on the bench and I come on then great, if not it’s how can I maximise the opportunity I have? So it’s making sure you rally the troops when I need to, when you’re in training groups doing extras because you need top-ups it’s making sure we’re all champing at the bit and maintaining that intensity.
It’s making sure standards don’t drop or picking lads up when they need it and you have a clearer perspective. It’s driving us to getting the job and you can do that whether you’re playing or not. I have open conversations about not playing and my role. I have played a lot of football this season which helps, I think it’s 40 appearances.
Also, because I’m here at this club, the natural disappointment I feel as a player isn’t as strong as it may be elsewhere because of the affiliation. For me here I take away any personal disappointment from not playing, I want what’s best for the football club first and foremost.
Of course I want to play, I’m an individual who wants to win and play but I know I can gain other aspects when I’m not playing. I’m always a lot more nervous watching games on the bench here over starting, if I was starting I wouldn’t be nervous because I have control over things.
But I can make sure I have a role to play within the group to ensure everyone’s ready to go if I’m not playing. That just comes with leadership and having a love of the football club.’
SE OGSÅ: Marlon Packs spillerprofil
A special word on Marlon Pack today, fantastic performance on the ball, proves again that he’s comfortably the best and most creative passer of the ball in the squad
No idea how often he plays next season, but it was great to see him conducting one more time 🎼 pic.twitter.com/dqoycqvZze
— HancockAnalysis (@HancockAnalysis) May 3, 2025
Gjenforent med Ritchie
Dette har også vært sesongen hvor Pack har blitt gjenforent med Matt Ritchie. De er nå to rutinerte spillere godt opp 30-årene, men de er begge lokale og begynte sin karriere i Pompeys akademi.
De hadde før årets sesong spilt tre minutter førstelagsfotball sammen for Pompey. Det skjedde i 2010 mot Cardiff da Steve Cotterill var Pompey-manager.
Da Ritchie ble bedt om å oppsummere sesongen var han snar med å trekke fram kaptein Marlon Pack:
«Murphs has been outstanding this season, Colby coming back is a huge impact on the team, Marls (Pack) has played out of position for long periods of the season and, as the real captain of this group, he has been colossal.
Even towards the latter stages of this season, his experience, his leadership within the group, I have huge admiration for him. An unbelievable captain. It has been a real privilege in my career to play with some amazing captains, but Marlon – with the way he conducts himself, his balance in terms of leadership, demanding, friendship throughout the dressing room – is unbelievable.
I knew he was an amazing guy, we have stayed in touch throughout our careers. He may not have featured as much of late, but, believe me, behind the scenes he has been integral to our success.
I remember me and Marls playing at Fratton Park in a Kanu charity game, we were probably aged 16, and also for the reserves together. We have a huge history together and, in my opinion, life is about connection and relationships – and we’ve certainly got that. It has been really special to play with him, we have a really high level of mutual respect, huge passion for the football club, you can see that in the performances, I think we understand what this city needs.»
