Portsmouth manager John Mousinho dismissed the notion that enforced team changes were responsible for Port Vale’s first-half struggles in their recent match.
Despite missing key players Regan Poole and Alex Robertson due to suspension, Mousinho believes their replacements, Sean Raggett and Ben Stevenson, were not to blame for the team’s initial performance.
Mousinho explained that he didn’t think the changes had a negative impact on their first-half play. He noted that none of the 11 players on the field performed particularly well during that period, but he emphasized that it wasn’t the fault of the players who had come in as replacements.
Instead, he praised Raggett and Stevenson for their outstanding performance in the second half, despite it being their first league starts of the season.
He also pointed out that the team’s defensive approach didn’t need to change with Sean Raggett in the lineup. Mousinho stressed that their playing style had remained consistent over the past few months, and Raggett had played a pivotal role in it last season.
John Mousinho's 'worst' admission, despite fifth straight win for #Pompey. https://t.co/ig8o8wleWY
— Neil Allen (@pn_neil_allen) October 7, 2023
Mousinho was particularly impressed with Sean Raggett’s performance in the second half, considering he had been out of the starting lineup due to the form of other center-backs. He described Raggett’s comeback as brilliant.
Regarding Ben Stevenson, who made his Pompey league debut in the match, Mousinho commended his professionalism and noted that he had been out of several squads recently.
Despite a slow start, Stevenson improved as the game went on, which Mousinho attributed to his fitness and hard work in training. He also highlighted the importance of having dedicated professionals like Raggett and Stevenson in the squad to handle situations involving changes, suspensions, injuries, or drops in form.
Portsmouth Football Club is exploring the potential addition of a valuable new facility at Fratton Park that would be welcomed by loyal PO4 supporters…
The club is currently considering the implementation of a park and ride service for fans attending matches.
Andy Cullen, the Chief Executive of Portsmouth FC, has confirmed that initial discussions have taken place with the organizers of the new £20 million Tipner Transport Hub located off the M275. Furthermore, the club will assess the economic feasibility of such a service and will actively involve supporters in the decision-making process.
This development follows the release of findings from a transportation survey conducted among 4,000 fans earlier this year. Cullen revealed in his program notes before a recent game against Port Vale that 41 percent of survey participants expressed interest in a park and ride facility with a dedicated route to the stadium. Additionally, 60 percent of respondents admitted to using their cars to travel to Fratton Park on match days.
Notably, Cullen also mentioned that 65 percent of respondents would consider switching to train travel if a safer access route via a new footbridge from Fratton Station were available. The survey, conducted in March, revealed that only 19 percent of the 4,000 fans surveyed currently use the rail network to reach PO4 on game days.
Cullen explained in his notes: “Many of you will remember that in March, the club conducted a survey on supporter match-day travel. Nearly 4,000 fans participated, and the results showed that 60 percent travel to Fratton Park by car, 19 percent by train, and three percent by bus.”
“In a previous set of program notes, I shared the survey insight that 65 percent would consider coming by train if there was a safer access route via a new footbridge from Fratton Station. Meanwhile, 41 percent expressed interest in using a ‘Park and Ride’ service if there was a dedicated route from the proposed Tipner Transport Hub to the stadium. This is particularly relevant because 32 percent of survey respondents lived 21 miles or more away from Fratton Park.”
“We have initiated preliminary discussions with those responsible for the ‘Park and Ride’ service and would now like to evaluate the potential economic viability of such a project.
Supporters will soon be invited to participate in a new survey, specifically asking those interested in the dedicated service about their travel origins, the number of people they travel with, their typical arrival and departure times on match days (both Saturdays and evenings), the price they would be willing to pay for such a service, and how far they would be willing to walk from the stadium to a designated bus stop nearby.”
“The survey will be accessible shortly on the club’s website and through our social media platforms. Please keep an eye out for it, as it would greatly assist us in determining the feasibility of such a service.”
Planning permission for the Tipner Transport Hub was granted in February 2022. This project, situated on the existing park and ride facility at Tipner, will result in a significant increase in parking spaces, expanding from 650 to 2,650. Additionally, it will provide enhanced bus services and offer bike and e-scooter rental options.
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