Great to see Blues keen to develop Hilsea site

No doubt there are sections of the Portsmouth FC fanbase who would prefer to see the cash go towards new signings.

But today’s story regarding the club’s vision for their Hilsea training ground is undoubtedly good news.

As we reveal today, two new pitches are planned for the site as well as a big upgrade to what was formerly the Roko health club.

Though CEO Andy Cullen has not put a timescale on when all work will be completed, rest assured when it is the club will have far better facilities than before.

For years, the players have had to make do with portacabins, and no-one can say that is ideal.

Take a quick look at the Premier League. Yes, clubs there spend astronomical sums of money on players, but they also invest heavily in their training grounds.

Manchester City and Leicester City, to name just two, have splashed out over £100m to upgrade their facilities in the last decade. Southampton, at the other end of the M27, made a £40m investment in their Staplewood training complex a few years ago.

(And yes, given where Leicester and Southampton are in the current Premier League table, one could be facetious and say they should have spent more money on players!)

Why shouldn’t Pompey’s players have access to the best training facilities the club can afford?

In the never-ending search for new signings, the club’s name, history and fanbase gives the club big advantages over many of their League One rivals. Brand new training facilities can provide another one. After all, wouldn’t you want the best working conditions you could get?

So, to recap, we completely support the revamp of the Hilsea site. A professional football club shouldn’t be expected to invest every spare pound into new players. That isn’t always the answer.