Young prospect ensures Bishop doesn’t claim all end-of-season silverware
Finally there was one end-ofseason award Colby Bishop didn’t scoop, with the honours instead going to a rising Pompey talent.
Harvey Laidlaw’s outstanding Blues campaign earned him the Academy Player of the Season earlier this month.
It’s worthy recognition for the attacking left-back, who this season made his firstteam bow at 16 years, eight months and 12 days to become the fourth-youngest debutant in the club’s post-war history.
The former Miltoncross Academy pupil is the grandson of ex-Pompey promotionwinning skipper Joe Laidlaw – and already showing encouraging early signs in his fledgling football career.
Clearly well regarded in the Blues’ youth set-up, Laidlaw made 32 appearances and scored five goals as a firstyear scholar this term.
He also had the distinction of appearing at Fratton Park twice over a week during October, with each outing played in front of more than 2,500 fans.
Laidlaw, from Southsea, featured for the final eight minutes of the 5-2 Hampshire Senior Cup victory over Southampton.
A week later, he was handed his first-team bow at the age of 16 in the Papa Johns Trophy against Aston Villa under-21s.
The full-back again appeared as a substitute and once more in the 82nd minute, although this time the Blues ran out 5-0 winners.
It marked a special eight days for Laidlaw, who is a passionate Pompey fan and regularly watches Fratton Park matches from the South Stand.
Indeed, having received his award at the Pompey end-of-season dinner, he afterwards asked guest speaker Harry Redknapp for a photo.
Laidlaw began playing with Fleur De Lys youth football club from an early age and progressed to join Pompey under-15s, later earning a two-year scholarship.
Now aged 17, he’s not the only member of the Laidlaw family thriving, sister Grace is also a footballer, featuring for Eastleigh Women as a striker.
Their granddad, Joe, was captain of the Blues’ 1979-80 promotion-winning side under Frank Burrows, which went up from Division Four.
Joe Laidlaw totalled 75 appearances and 23 goals before being sold to Hereford.