Hurst returns to the fold

After seeing a 30-year association with Pompey end, which saw former Pompey talent spotter Dave Hurst basically forced into retirement, the man that Hurst himself once spotted - and saw come to Pompey - has tempted him back.

Andy Awford has brought Hurst back to run youth recruitment.

Local talent, and making sure WE get them and not other clubs, is the first aim and then as we get this sorted we move 'further afield' again. Hurst told The News: ' I'm excited. It will be a challenge but we're up for it and I will be there as long as Andy wants me to help out.

'I've brought a few of the lads back and we will get this area right. As we progress, we will go further afield.

'One of the biggest criticisms is that nobody ever sees a Pompey scout at their games. That will change.

'There will be lads out there to find who could go on to make it with the right coaching and we will start finding some good young players.

'For the past year, we haven't had a scouting network and we've lost some young players to other clubs. We need to start competing.'

Hurst WILL NOT be paid for this job as he said he just wants to give something back to the club that he said has been good to him.

He also wants us to get back on track, doing so spending reasonable amounts of money and not the vast amounts that we had in recent years - money he felt, and I guess he is right, was wasted really: 'I stood down in 2006 as head of youth and then they spent absolute fortunes. You could run it for the next 15 years on that.

'But the club have made a great appointment with Andy - although I'm probably biased because I signed him!

'I don't want to take money out of the club - they have treated me well. It's just about helping to get things up and running again.'

Its a good appointment, it might only be a short-term things but even in the short-term, given Hurst's contacts, it 'should' do us a lot of good and at least get us back on track.

As for Awford, he had this to say about his former mentor: 'Dave has 30 years of experience, he is Pompey through and through and his record speaks for itself.

'Our youth recruitment needed addressing and Dave is the ideal man to do it.'

A positive step in the right direction?

For me it is.

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