Credit: Imago

Dan Godfrey

Thu 6 March 2025 20:00, UK

Josh Murphy is fitting the exact description of how Portsmouth envisaged him when they recruited the winger over the summer.

With John Mousinho having already claimed he would be the “outstanding” member of the Portsmouth squad back in pre-season, the expectation was set in stone.

After an initial setback which slowed his start to the season through injury, Murphy is now demonstrating how Championship experience prevails in a team fighting to establish themselves again.

Portsmouth ace Murphy nominated for award

As confirmed by Portsmouth on Thursday (6 March), Murphy has been nominated for the February Player of the Month award in the Championship.

Mousinho has also been shortlisted for last month’s managerial accolade, with Portsmouth having exhibited top-six form since the turn of the year.

Pompey have been forced this season to attempt to recruit Championship pedigree on a budget, and given the shackles placed on the Blues financially compared to divisional rivals, they have emerged pretty handsomely from the task.

Alongside Murphy last summer arrived Matt Ritchie, who upon returning to his boyhood club has shown he understands what it takes not only to play in the Championship – having spent the share of his career in the top two divisions – but also to pull on the Portsmouth shirt.

The likes of Andre Dozzell and Rob Atkinson have also been smart recruits, as well as Isaac Hayden – who for many years played alongside Ritchie at Newcastle United – of course the same destination where Murphy’s twin Jacob is enjoying a stellar individual season.

Pompey relying on Championship nous for survival

Portsmouth supporters feared, especially heading into the January transfer window, that the recruitment team would be unable to attract key Championship experience into the squad.

But having completed a busy and fairly productive winter window, bringing in eight players, the team have benefitted from it and the frustrating defeat at Luton Town last Saturday (1 March) has appeared more an anomaly than a major fear.

Pompey knew they required a lot more astute nous in the second tier to survive this season, and the longer they have gone with the likes of Murphy, Ritchie and Dozzell in the team, the clearer their skies have looked towards survival.

It cannot be underestimated. There are plenty of ‘tomorrow’ project players such as Thomas Waddingham, Abdoulaye Kamara and Harvey Blair in the squad who have bags of talent – but they alone won’t keep a team above the League One trap door in their first exposure to English first-team football.

Portsmouth take on promotion favourites Leeds United this Sunday (9 March) in one of the toughest tasks remaining of the season, but could be quietly confident of a result given they are back at home.