Removal vans on hand as Pompey begin Eastleigh goodbye

The removal van was at Eastleigh but those doing the removals were Pompey's caretaker boss and the Academy manager.

Guy Whittingham, Andy Awford and masseur Colin Clement leant a helping hand to the process of Pompey clearing out their training home for the past 10 years.

The analysts have already relocated to Fratton Park, while the gym equipment is next in line to follow.

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Meanwhile, Awford bought two large sofas which for years had served as press seating. The Pompey legend donated them to a neighbour.

The Blues have use of the Wellington Sports Ground until Thursday, although the majority of facilities will have been moved to Fratton Park or put into storage before then.

And for Whittingham, who was on the coaching staff when the Blues initially moved there in 2002, it was another sad day.

He said: ‘The training ground has seen a lot.

‘I bet there would be arguments over who has been the best team coming out of the changing rooms.

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‘There have been some great times, of course, but ultimately I suppose in a way we are paying for that now and we are where we are.

‘When you are in the Premier League you think it is never going to finish. I suppose it was one of those where we’ll do that one day, we’ll do that one day, we’ll do that one day. But we never did.

‘It’s hard to believe that seven seasons in the Premier League and there is no training ground.’

Whittingham is now finalising Pompey’s new training home.

He added: ‘We are almost there.

‘We’ve still got the pitches we can use at Eastleigh until Thursday and the physio room will also stay put.

‘The analysts have already moved to Fratton Park and we’ll go down there in the afternoons to work with them.’