Matty Taylor backs Pompey to survive

Matty Taylor makes his first return to Pompey, well in fact his first return to any previous side, when he comes to Fratton on Saturday with Bolton.

Whilst, as he told The News, he is looking forward to this we should not be expecting any favours: 'I'm really looking forward to coming back.

'It's the first time in my career I've gone back to a previous club. I think it is going to be a good day, but it is important for Bolton to get a good result.

'There have been a lot of texts flying around already, and there has been plenty of banter to say the least.

'I'm going to stay out of Richard Hughes' way because he is going to be looking to stick a tackle in on me!'

Taylor does however think that we, along with his current side, will meet again next season as he firmly believes that both sides will stay up, and this would leave him 'happy' at the end of the season: 'it is a big game for both teams, but regardless of what happens on Saturday I don't think Portsmouth will go down.

'There is just far too much quality there and that will see them through. There is too much experience and too many strong players going all the way through the team.

'They have goals in the side which other sides at the bottom haven't got. Portsmouth have all the right ingredients to stay up and I'm certain they will be okay.

'As long as we're safe and Pompey are safe at the end of the season, I'll be happy.'

The former Fratton favourite, although despite the fact he has moved on he is still a Fratton favourite is he not? Anyway, the former Pompey star feels he is in the form of his career at the moment - and based on what I have seen of him this season, granted quite minimal, he looks in fine form. 10 goals this season proves he is very much, as always, in fine goalscoring form at least.

He also has no regrets about leaving Pompey as he insists 'it was a big decision moving to Bolton, but it has been the right one.' Things did not appear to start well for Matty, his performance against us at the Reebok last season was a shocking, but he does seem to have gone from strength to strength - and 'maybe' this return to top form can finally see that long touted England call-up finally happen?

We have spoken about it in the forum, and most agree that it is almost certain that Matty Taylor will smash home a goal for Bolton this weekend - and so long as we have already won the game by this time will any of us begrudge him this goal, would we anyway? It is not as if he left on bad terms, well not with the fans anyway!

When he left at that time as gutted as I was to see the long serving player go, a player that I always rated, with the players we had I thought we were more than capable of doing without him - as it is he is arguably the player that I feel we are now most missing!

Goals from midfield, and out of nothing, are not something we are not getting, well goals from anywhere are hard to find, so if only we still had him here now - how we could have done with him at the moment...

I am sure that I will not be alone in giving Taylor a very warm welcome 'home' this weekend, it is just a shame that he will be lining up again us as opposed to for us.

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