Jed Wallace looks fondly on ‘amazing’ Portsmouth return after nine years
Jed Wallace has revealed how he felt returning to Portsmouth with West Brom last weekend, his first game at Fratton Park since leaving.
The Albion captain was part of the team as a substitute which won 3-0 at Fratton Park to go top of the Championship table, receiving a warm reception as he entered and left the field after departing in 2015.
Wallace, 30, scored 30 goals in 121 appearances for Pompey as a young player, eventually playing for Wolves and Millwall before his move to The Hawthorns.
Speaking on the EFL Podcast [18 September], he said: “Portsmouth probably gave us the toughest 45 minutes of the season so far I think.
“On a personal note, it was amazing to go back to Portsmouth and see so many people that I’ve not seen in such a long time that make that such a special football club.”
He also posted on X [15 September] to pay tribute to the Blues fans who reciprocated his appreciation, claiming he “owes so much” to the club.
Jed Wallace returns to Portsmouth
Maybe it wasn’t the length of return most Portsmouth fans would have wanted, but it was nice to see Wallace in a fleeting appearance back at Fratton Park after all these years.
The attacker is as much a joy off the field as on it, and left his academy home to flourish in an excellent EFL career.
It seems as though Wallace has been around for so long, but there are definitely a few more years still in the tank and a return to PO4 further down the line cannot be ruled out based off the homecomings for Marlon Pack and Matt Ritchie of late.
Wallace’s role at West Brom is likely similar to that of Ritchie in John Mousinho’s Blues dressing room – a senior leadership figure who has seen it all, even if not spending every minute on the pitch.
Whatever happens in the foreseeable future of Wallace’s career, you get the feeling there will always be a place for him at Pompey, in whichever capacity.
In other Portsmouth news, Ian Darke gives his take on Mousinho’s progress.
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