Alan McLoughlin gets his overdue day in the Pompey limelight on Saturday as Bournemouth provide the Blues with a pre-season test in the Irish midfielder's testimonial.

Macca was first promised a match at the end of his Pompey playing career. That never happened but the PST moved to revive the idea when they took over - and the club are honouring the agreement even though McLoughlin has since left his Fratton role.

McLoughlin told The News: '‘Mark Catlin one day pulled me aside and told me it had been decided to right a wrong and the board wanted to give me a benefit.

'It took me by surprise, I was flattered, embarrassed to be honest, at a point when I was in the middle of my cancer treatment and having my kidney removed. I kept it quiet, only Andy Awford knew, I didn’t even tell Paul Hardyman, I was a bit embarrassed by it. It’s just the way I am, I didn’t want to make it a big fuss.

‘I didn’t want it as a sympathy card thrown at me so didn’t want to say anything. Only very, very few people knew I had agreed. Once I left the coaching staff I was in a bit of a limbo and then it was mentioned it was going to go ahead as contractually arranged.

‘All credit to the club, quite easily they could have fought and said “Well you have left now” but they have been really good. My committee have been wonderful, particularly Ian Marshall, Malcolm Drew and Jake Payne who have really driven things along, and also thanks to Bournemouth and Paul Cook for their fantastic help.’

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