Devlin Expresses Hope for Portsmouth’s Turnaround Amidst “Ruthless” Championship Season

Having made six appearances for Portsmouth across all competitions this season, Terry Devlin has characterized the Championship as a “ruthless” division. The Blues have experienced a challenging beginning in the second tier, securing only one victory, alongside five draws and six defeats, which places the team at the bottom of the league standings. Speaking to BBC Radio Solent, Devlin stated, “It’s such a ruthless league this year.” He further elaborated, “It feels like anytime you make a mistake you just get punished instantly and it is just so tough, it’s going to be like that all season though.” Devlin’s inaugural season with Pompey was last year, following his transfer from Northern Irish club Glentoran in the summer of 2023. While the Blues achieved a successful promotion campaign, Devlin’s personal experience was marked by frustration, as a shoulder injury kept him out of most matches from February onwards. In the current campaign, he featured for a period at the start of the season before being absent from the matchday squad for six consecutive games. Upon his return to the team, he has been deployed in a new right-back position, a departure from his preferred central midfield role. Devlin completed 90 minutes on Friday night in the match against Sheffield Wednesday, where Portsmouth initially held a lead at halftime but ultimately suffered a 1-2 defeat to the Owls. Devlin commented, “We knew coming into the season it was going to be tough and a step up,” adding, “There are no easy games in this league and we just need to keep together as a group and I believe our luck will turn.” He noted the abundance of upcoming fixtures, stating that these present continuous opportunities to improve and rectify previous results. Devlin expressed the team’s aim to “make Friday’s result right and hopefully get a win” this weekend. Portsmouth is scheduled to play Hull City at the MKM Stadium on Saturday.