Jon Harley is back at Pompey as assistant head coach - a decade after appearing as a player in a season that he remembers more fondly than most do.

The full-back was at Fratton in the tumultuous 2012-13 season when Pompey were relegated from League One and almost went out of business - only for fan ownership to be approved and the the road to recovery to start.

Harley was unveiled as John Mousinho's new No2 and told the club website: 'It’s really exciting to be back at Pompey again and I’m so excited to get started in my new role. I look back on my time as a player here and when Fratton Park is rocking, it’s such a great place to be.

'I can still remember my debut against Bournemouth and walking out before the game to see a real togetherness among the crowd. Everyone knew it was an incredibly difficult situation at the time, but the place was bouncing and the hairs on the back of my neck were standing up. I had goosebumps.

'So I want to be a part in getting the ground bouncing again and seeing the fans off their seats. That’s what we’re all looking for.'

Harley has been coaching at Chelsea for the pastr decade and says that has taught him much. He said: 'I went in as an under-15s coach and then have spent the past few years with the under-18s and then the under-21s.

'My position was all about developing players and we saw guys like Mason Mount and Reece James come through. That’s the kind of thing I’m looking to do here — I want to help improve footballers. John and I have also crossed paths recently and he’s great man.

'I was in a really good place at Chelsea, but when the opportunity to come here arose, it was something I couldn’t turn down.'

Pompey's fans will see him in the technical area for the first time at Lincoln on Saturday and he'll make his 'second Fratton bow' a week later when the Blues play Cheltenham.

Photo: Action Images

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