2 Portsmouth youngsters who look set for a very bright future in the game | OneFootball

Over the years, there have been plenty of players to have come through the academy at Portsmouth.

Some of those players, will of course, have gone on to enjoy a more successful career in the game than others.

Here though, we’re turning our attention to some of those currently in the academy ranks at Pompey, many of whom will now doubt be eyeing their own success at senior level in the years to come.

With that in mind, we’ve taken a look at two Portsmouth youngsters who look well set to go on to big things when they make the step up to senior level.

Dan Gifford

Portsmouth Under 18s side currently sit top of the Youth Alliance League South West Division, and it is hard not to feel that Dan Gifford has had a big part to play in that.

The 17-year-old striker has already scored 11 goals in just 13 games this season, showing not just his ability and instinct in front of goal, but also his resilience to bounce back after an injury campaign in 2020/21.

Indeed, Gifford was recently named in “The 11”, a scheme run by the League Football Education to recognise young players for their efforts both on and off the pitch, suggesting that many within the game are expecting big things from him moving forward.

Toby Steward

At the other end of the pitch, it seems Portsmouth have a goalkeeper well worth keeping an eye out for, in the form of 16-year-old Toby Steward.

Although he has yet to make his senior debut for the club, Steward has already featured in matchday squads for Portsmouth during EFL Trophy games, an example of the progression he has made after impressing at youth level.

Indeed, after one such appearance on the bench for Pompey, manager Danny Cowley revealed Steward has trained with the first-team more than any other young player at the club. With the goalkeeper also taking part in an England youth training camp at St George’s Park recently, that experience that will no doubt serve the goalkeeper well moving forward with his career.