Ogilvie: I’d love to stay, I’m ready to step up

’It’s home and obviously I’d like to keep it home’

Pompey favourite Connor Ogilvie has outlined hopes to extend his Fratton stay.

And the left-back has stressed a belief he can step up to the Championship, as he called for focus with his side aiming to complete their promotion mission at Bolton tomorrow.

Ogilvie is one of 15 Blues players out of contract this summer, as the 28-year-old waits to hear what his future holds.

After three seasons, 114 appearances and a Fratton stay where the former

Spurs man has been one of his side’s most consistent performers, Ogilvie doesn’t want to see his Pompey journey come to a close.

He said: ‘I’m out of contract, so fingers crossed I can stay here. I’d love to be here and I’m happy here. This is home for me, 100 per cent, I love it down and I’ve got the family here.

‘It’s home and I’d obviously like to keep it home.

‘I guess we’ll just have to see in the summer.

‘That will all happen. We have to concentrate on the game this weekend and what comes next, the rest will happen and there will be a time when we sit down and have talks, I presume.’

The target which has been in Ogilvie’s sights since he arrived at Pompey in the summer of 2021 is now within reach, as his side go to the Toughsheet Stadium.

The dream for the left-back is to be playing

Championship football next term, a task he believes he’s up to.

But first there’s a huge challenge to scale in a foe with their own promotion ambitions and powerful home record.

Ogilvie, whose 21 outings this season have taken him to 98 league appearances for Pompey, added: ‘I’d like to think I could (play in the Championship).

‘I’ve had a fair few seasons in League One now and I think I’m ready to step up.

‘It would be a step up, but that is the reason I’ve worked as hard as I have in League One for this many years - to get that opportunity.

‘I think there’s a lot in this group who could. We’ve been signing players that are ready to step up and the performances suggest that.

‘The strength in depth in this group is second to none.

‘The main aim when I came in was to get promoted. It’s taken a bit longer than what we’d hoped, but we’re on track now.

‘We’re not there yet, though, and know we are facing a very good side in Bolton. It’s a tough challenge.

‘We just need to get the win on Saturday and make sure we get a little P next to our name!’

Should that happen, it would be the first promotion of Ogilvie’s career which spans 283 Football League appearances for Stevenage, Gillingham and Pompey. The 28-year-old made his EFL debut for Stevenage in August 2015 while on loan from Tottenham, where he was released in 2019 without making a first team appearance.