Loan stars given green light for a play-off bid

POMPEY will be allowed to retain Omar Bogle should they be handed a play-off fate.

The in-form striker’s loan spell from Cardiff City is scheduled to expire at the League One season’s end.

However, a clause in Bogle’s deal dictates his stay can be extended to cover the play-offs, if required.

The stipulation has been included in the contracts of all four Blues loanees.

In addition to Bogle, inset, Kenny Jackett will also have James Vaughan, Viv Solomon-Otabor and Lloyd Isgrove available in the likelihood of further games.

Pompey chief executive Mark Catlin said: ‘Every loan player has it written into their contract that, should the club make the play-offs, their stay is extended to cover that.

‘It’s common sense – and also beneficial to the parent clubs, who will get more money the longer they remain with us.

‘So we have no concerns whatsoever about our loan players departing.’

Pompey are presently four points adrift of the automatic promotion places.

Meanwhile, they are 15 points ahead of seventh spot, all but mathematically guaranteeing involvement in the play-offs at the minimum.

The Blues last reached the play-offs in May 2016, under the tutelage of Paul Cook.

They took on Plymouth in a two-legged League Two clash without Michael Smith, whose 93-day emergency loan from Swindon had expired.

But fellow loanees Marc McNulty and Conor Wilkinson were allowed to feature, along with emergency loan keeper Ryan Allsop.