Marlon Pack's defiant message as Portsmouth skipper turns focus on 'tough' Championship challenge ahead

Pompey skipper Marlon Park is getting ready to sink his teeth into some Championship action after putting pen-to-paper on a new two-year deal. The midfielder, who is 33-years-old, was due to become available as a free agent at the end of June on his previous contract and his future at Fratton Park was up in the air.

However, Pompey have now managed to strike an agreement with him and he will be sticking around until 2026. He has told the club website: “I’m obviously really happy and it’s a deal that’s right for both me and the football club.

“Off the back of what we’ve achieved, I’m now looking forward to getting started in the Championship. There’s no given right to be there and League One is tough to get out of – it was a hell of an achievement. But this is a fantastic division to be in and one that’s filled with teams who have Premier League pedigree.

“It’s going to be tough – we’re under no illusion about that. You have to embrace the challenge, though. The reason I came back here was to help the club get back to the Championship, but that doesn’t mean it’s job done. Now it’s the next hurdle of trying to maintain ourselves at this level and looking forward to getting better.”

He added: “It (last season) was an incredible season. We’d all wished and hoped for it, but to get promotion the way we did exceeded all my expectations. I don’t think it will ever fully sink in. When I say it was a dream come true, I mean that from the bottom of my heart. When you get messages saying ‘you’ve given me and my son the best season of supporting Pompey’, that’s when you start to digest it.”

Pompey re-signed Pack in 2022 and he has since been a key player for them in midfield. He rose up through the academy ranks of the Hampshire outfit before going on to play twice for the first-team as a youngster. Loan spells away at Wycombe Wanderers, Dagenham and Redbridge and Cheltenham Town followed on for him before the latter snapped him up permanently.

Pack has since had stints at Bristol City and Cardiff City but Pompey is his home. Boss John Mousinho was delighted to tie him down to fresh term and said: “It was so important for us to get this deal done, with everything that Marlon’s done at this football club since returning a couple of years ago. He lifted the League One trophy as captain and produced some strong performances in what was such a successful season for us.

“Marlon is a vital part of what we’re trying to achieve moving forward in the Championship and so we’re delighted that he’s staying at the club.”

Since moving back to Pompey, Pack has made 78 appearances in all competitions and has chipped in with eight goals. The new 2024/25 fixtures were released on Thursday morning and first up is an away trip to Leeds United.