Credit: Imago]

Dan Godfrey

Wed 26 March 2025 18:00, UK

Callum Lang remains sorely missed out on the pitch by Portsmouth supporters having enjoyed an unforgettable individual season.

Pompey fans fell in love with Lang’s work ethic and benefit of the overall team when he first joined halfway through their League One promotion campaign, and he has gone from strength to strength in the Championship.

While on 10 goals and flying, Lang was struck down with a hamstring injury in a rare away win for Portsmouth at Oxford United, which sidelined him for a period that is likely to extend beyond the end of this season.

With a little over a month remaining of the league campaign and eight vital fixtures to go, Lang has been doing what he can to support the rest of the Blues squad – in a variety of different ways.

Lang makes Everton and Yakubu admission

Portsmouth brought Lang to the south coast when they plucked him from Wigan Athletic midway through the 2023/24 season.

Since then the Liverpool-born forward has been a beacon of light in the second tier for Pompey – at least until his injury.

Lang sat down with BBC Radio Solent on Tuesday (25 March) to reflect on the highs and lows of his campaign, which went into detail about his four-goal haul against Coventry City on 21 December.

The 26-year-old was the first player to achieve the feat in one match since 2004 from Pompey icon Yakubu Aiyegbeni – who also did his bit for the club Lang supports, Everton.

“Someone told me after the Coventry game that Yakubu [was the player who] scored four in a game before me,” Lang reflected.

“Getting mentioned alongside names like that can only give you confidence. That was a really good day. I should even have had more shots I thought when I came off the pitch.”

Portsmouth star was spotted in away end at Preston

The proof is in the pudding when Lang mentions his support for his Portsmouth teammates from the back – after all, he was spotted in the away end at Deepdale as the Blues were beaten late on by Preston North End last time out (15 March).

While not far from home for Lang, he was able to kill two birds with one stone as he backed the Blues in among the travelling support, very quickly recognised on the concourse by the Portsmouth thousands.

The attacker spoke of his previous experience of watching Everton at Preston – having witnessed Yakubu as a fan on many occasions – and how watching Pompey there was a “nice” feeling.

“Maybe my disguise could’ve been better – half-time on the concourse was carnage!” Lang laughed.

“I’m always there helping the lads where I can from the sides.

“I’ve experienced Preston as an Everton fan, but to experience it as a Portsmouth fan was nice.”

Portsmouth next take on Blackburn Rovers back at Fratton Park this Saturday (29 March), with alarm bells beginning to ring louder after the gap to the relegation zone was cut from 10 points to just four following successive defeats.

Lang wishes he could be back out on the pitch, but is safe in the knowledge there is enough out there under John Mousinho to ensure they get over the line. Now is the time to deliver.