Inside track on forward touted with possible switch to Fratton Park
FOLLOWING Pompey’s reported interest in Hull forward James Scott, we spoke to Patrick McPartland from the Edinburgh Evening News to get the lowdown on the 21-year-old who spent last season on loan at Hibs.
Here’s what he had to say about a player who is also, apparently, attracting attention from Derby and Sunderland...
‘In terms of playing style, before his move to Hull while at Motherwell, Scott was more of a winger who could play either side, whereas at Hibs he exclusively played as a number nine.
‘He said it himself, because of the injuries he had at Hull, he’s put on a bit of weight so he’s a different type of player.
‘I’m not sure if that had an impact on how he performed this season because it didn’t really go to plan for him.
’He started well enough in the first couple of games, but there was always competition from the first-choice number nine, Kevin Nisbet. As a result, Scott didn’t really get much game time.
‘During the first half of the season, Jack Ross came out and said he needed to be fitter and, once he was, he’d be a real asset to the team.
‘Thencamethemanagerial change, and he didn’t get a lot of game time after that. There were substitute appearances here and there which were no longer than 15 minutes.
‘Under Shaun Maloney, he came back into the fold a little bit and received more game time. Once Maloney was sacked, he was given a really good run of games across the last six matches of the season.
‘Hestartedafewgamesand looked more of a player. His stats towards the end of the loan were four goals and an assist in his last three games, but itwastheendoftheseasonand there are caveats.
‘One of the teams they played were to be in the relegation play-offs so fielded an almost second-string side, but he did certainly come into more of a player towards the end of the campaign.
‘Getting that run of games certainly helped his confidence, and during those last few matches he started to look more like the player Hibs thought they were getting in the summer.
‘However, I think it’s fair to say there was a lot that went against him in terms of coming back from the injury and not really fitting into the formation that certainly Ross wanted to play.’