Pompey start preparations for the 2013/14 campaign
Pompey’s new look squad have returned for the start of pre-season training.
There were plenty of new faces on show at St John’s playing fields, which is being used while work is completed on the Blues’ Langstone Campus base.
Andy Barcham, Sonny Bradley, Tom Craddock, Joe Devera, Danny East, Ricky Holmes, Romain Padovani and John Sullivan all trained with the Blues for the first time.
They were joined by Fratton favourites Patrick Agyemang, Dan Butler, David Connolly, Johnny Ertl, Ashley Harris, Jed Wallace and Adam Webster.
Pompey’s five-man development squad and a couple of trialists completed the line-up.
The players warmed up under the watchful eye of academy coach Alan McLoughlin before being put through their paces by strength and conditioning coach Louis Langdown.
A series of training drills followed, with the squad clearly enjoying the opportunity to have a ball at their feet so early in the pre-season programme.
But Guy Whittingham has promised that things will get harder ahead of the season opener against Oxford on August 3.
The Blues boss said: “The university facilities aren’t quite ready yet and it’s very good of St John’s College to help us out.
“It was an easy introduction – a bit of running and a bit of ball work. It’s a steady build-up and it will get tougher as we progress through pre-season.
“There were a few new faces, but they’re getting to know each other and the sun was out, so all in all it was a good day.
“A lot of the players we’ve brought in know each other from different times and other clubs and I’m sure they’ll all get on.
“We’ve been itching to get back working with them, but we think we’ve brought them back at the right time.
“We’ve had a break and chilled out a bit – now we’re ready to get started again.”