Dreaded player of the season curse refuses to ease up
Burgess joins long list of winners to leave pretty sharply
CHRISTIAN BURGESS finds himself in exalted company, his name etched alongside many Pompey greats.
He is also emulating predecessors in another aspect – by departing Fratton Park within a year.
Burgess is The News/Sports Mail’s 2019-20 Pompey Player of the Season, an accolade chosen by supporters. In this case, the outcome was emphatic.
Incidentally, of the last 11 different recipients of the longstanding trophy, 10 have left the Blues within a year.
In fact, seven of them departed that very summer – with Burgess among that number.
The 28-year-old has joined Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, keen to broaden his footballing education in the Belgian second tier.
It was a devastating finale following play-off defeat, nonetheless he can exit with head high following five campaigns and 210 appearances for Pompey.
In recent times, those honoured with the Player of the Season award have demonstrated a tendency to swiftly move on from Fratton Park, mainly in the interests of career progression.
Since 2009, only
Johnny Ertl has remained beyond a year afterwards, although he endured a miserable personal campaign which followed his 2012-13 coronation. Granted, Matt Clarke did stay after claiming it in 2017-18 – although left the following
Number of appearances Christian Burgess made for Pompey summer for Brighton retaining his title.
Still, focusing on the last 12 seasons, the pattern is obvious among winners of the 41-yearold trophy.
Right-back Glen Johnson (2008-09) left for Liverpool in June 2009, representing natural progression having established himself as one of the finest right-backs in the country at Fratton Park.
The following season, loanee Jamie O’Hara scooped almost every supporter honour following an outstanding Premier League campaign, yet had to return to parent club Spurs at theendof it.
Next was Hayden Mullins (2010-11) during Steve Cotterill’s maiden season as manager.
He remained with the Blues beyond the summer, although played his final match in March 2012.
Pompey’s grave financial issues meant the midfielder had to be loaned out to Reading for a fee. He left permanently in July 2012 for Birmingham for an undisclosed fee.
Former Blues apprentice Jason Pearce had returned to the club in 2011-12 for what after