Ben Killip signed for Portsmouth on winter Deadline Day [Credit: Portsmouth FC]
Ben Killip signed for Portsmouth on winter Deadline Day [Credit: Portsmouth FC]
Match

Portsmouth goalkeeper competition sees spanner thrown in works

Dan Godfrey
Dan Godfrey

Dan is a sports writer and broadcaster, who wrote for Breaking Media Limited's club sites including Pompey News between May 2024 and May 2025. Graduating from the University of Huddersfield in 2018 with First Class Honours in Sports Journalism, Dan has worked with several EFL clubs, as well as with BBC Radio, talkSPORT and TNT Sports. He previously resided in Sydney, Australia, where he continued his career as a freelancer in various sports. Dan was born and raised in Portsmouth, comes from a Pompey-supporting family, and was in attendance at both of the club's FA Cup finals in 2008 and 2010.

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Portsmouth could see a reassessment of their goalkeeping pecking order after Ben Killip arrived at Fratton Park on Deadline Day.

The 29-year-old had played 21 of his 36 games for Barnsley this season, arriving for an undisclosed fee while Will Norris left on a free transfer, signing for Wycombe Wanderers.

Pompey's desire to bring in another man of experience - who was receiving regular game time in League One - instead of, for instance, retaining the loaned-out Toby Steward as third-choice, makes it very cryptic as to how Mousinho's order will look in the longer term.

Nicolas Schmid is first-choice - that much is clear - with his own signing throwing the first major spanner in the works over the summer as fans predicted he would eventually displace Norris, which transpired to be exactly the case.

Jordan Archer is also an experienced EFL stopper and will not fancy sticking around to be third choice, himself - neither will Killip, albeit he has only joined on a short-term deal.

Portsmouth have three experienced goalkeepers

Portsmouth have boldly decided to march forward with three goalkeepers who all want to be number one, rather than developing towards more match action between the sticks.

This was an approach Mousinho also took in the summer, happy to manage the needs of three stoppers who all feel worthy to play in the Championship.

Norris had endured a hard time while out of the team, consigned eventually to third-choice himself while he managed minor injury struggles and a difficult period after being shunned for Schmid.

Steward has been sent on a new loan, this time to Wealdstone, who were previously managed by Fratton Park hero Matt Taylor.

The competition is thriving, and Mousinho will be hoping Pompey as a whole can benefit from three established 'keepers all wanting to keep guard of the buoyant Fratton End in the ongoing survival battle.

In other Portsmouth news, Bristol City rule out a permanent deal for Rob Atkinson at Pompey.

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