PORTSMOUTH FOOTBALL CLUB

James Dunne does not believe he is stepping down a level by joining Pompey.

The tough-tackling midfielder certainly experienced the highs and lows of football last season – starting it by sitting in the stands and ending it as a cup winner.

Unable to get into the starting line-up at League One Stevenage, he was restricted to watching matches from the sidelines.

But Scottish Premier League side St Johnstone certainly saw something in Dunne and signed him on loan.

And he helped take them all the way to the Scottish Cup final, where they defeated Dundee United 2-0 to lift the trophy.

Dunne is hoping for more highs after completing a permanent switch to Pompey and believes there are no limits to what his new club can achieve over the next few seasons.

The 24-year-old said: “I was sitting in the stand at Stevenage not playing and then the next thing I’m playing at Celtic Park in the cup final for St Johnstone. To win the trophy in front of 50,000 fans was unbelievable.

“But I certainly don’t see this as a move down and Andy Awford has spelt out his plans for where this club is going.

“I’m a midfield player who likes a tackle and let the more tricky players get on with their wizardry.

“It’s very exciting to get the chance to play in front of the sort of gates they get at Pompey and I think we can keep rising from here.

“I really do believe we can turn Fratton Park into a proper fortress and that we can move up and keep moving.”

There will be one familiar face for Dunne when he joins up with the rest of the squad for the start of pre-season training on Thursday.

He said: “Ben Chorley was one of my mates at Stevenage and we shared a car in. He was much in the same predicament as me.”

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