Portsmouth have survived a fairly unpredictable Championship season and will look to kick on in the transfer window ahead of the 2025/26 campaign. But crucially, Marlon Pack’s future has been addressed by the Pompey boss.

The Hampshire club’s captain, Pack, saw his involvement in the starting lineup deteriorate as the season began to culminate. Cameo appearances – of as little as one minute – in recent games have highlighted a potential concern about the 34-year-old’s immediate future at Fratton Park.

Pack has now made 677 appearances in all domestic competitions since a first loan spell from his first stint at Portsmouth, with Wycombe Wanderers in 2009.

An Ever-Present Importance

Mousinho handed the skipper 41 appearances this season. Despite the depletion of starting places in the latter stages of the season, the former Oxford United boss has shown no sign of wanting Pack’s departure. The versatile midfielder and defender enters the final year of his current contract.

A stellar interview with John Mousinho in The News has offered some praise, empathy and information on Pack’s upcoming and current situations:

“I absolutely love Marlon and he’s a huge part of the football club going forward.

He is a very, very important part of my plans at the club in terms of what he brings to us. Whether it’s on the pitch or off the pitch, he’s hugely important to that.”

As a key leader in the dressing room and on the pitch, the Englishman has now appeared 117 times for Pompey and, despite the sentiment that his playing time is diminishing, has appeared the most in a single campaign for the club since leaving Cardiff City and arriving on a free in 2022. This has even bested his appearance tally in Portsmouth’s 2023/24 League One-winning season.

Pack’s Position

With the 34-year-old’s versatility in mind for Mousinho, important questions were raised over a permanent role for Pack. The Pompey manager offered his rough plans ahead of another important season for the South East outfit:

“I think he can still play in midfield, there is plenty of scope there for Marlon, particularly with the way we are playing recently with much more of a single six in the middle of the park.

We’ve got high hopes for him playing and for everything else he does off the pitch. He is pivotal for everything we are trying to achieve.”

Writer’s View

Maintaining Pack’s level of quality, understanding of the club’s model and experience in multiple positions will inevitably continue to bolster Portsmouth’s squad hierarchy as well maintain the foundations of a strong Championship lineup.

The now 34-year-old can evidently still do a job in both positions but may have to settle for a substitute appearance in certain games as seen this year. Mousinho looks to be consciously including Pack in his near future plans, but a sentimental ‘hero’s’ send-off at the end of the captain’s contract might be the likeliest outcome.