Man of all ages Adam Webster revelling in Pompey life

Steve Cotterill had infamously bundled Matt Ritchie out the door earlier that year, unconvinced the midfielder was of the required standard to operate effectively in the Championship.

Marlon Pack was another, not offered a new deal by his doubting manager following a miserly seven minutes of league football during his reign.

The home-grown pair scrambled back onto their feet spectacularly.

Scotland international and Premier League performer Ritchie needs no introduction, while Pack is presently in the Championship with Bristol City.

Yet for Cotterill, Webster was different.

A slight central defender from West Wittering, he had been ushered from the Academy into the first-team environment.

Then on August 31, 2011, he represented Cotterill’s Blues side in a friendly at Real Betis.

A crowd of 10,307 were present at the Benito Villamarin when Webster climbed off the bench to replace Lewis Stockford with 20 minutes remaining,

The fixture ended in a 5-1 defeat for the visitors, with Luke Varney grabbing a late consolation.

Webster, however, remained in Cotterill’s thoughts.

Clearly impressed, Pompey’s boss marked him for a bright future, one of the club’s youngsters he would not dispose of.

However, it wasn’t until Michael Appleton was at the helm before the highly-regarded defender would make his league debut – once again as a substitute.

Having turned 17 only 12 days earlier, he was introduced in the second half against West Ham at Fratton Park during a 1-0 defeat.

The date was January 14, 2012, a season when Pompey resided in the Championship.

Today, Webster has amassed 67 appearances and four goals – in addition to a total of eight different managers and caretaker bosses.

Yet never has he been a more settled presence in Pompey’s first-team, establishing himself as a regular in Paul Cook’s promotion chasers.

And having turned 21 earlier this month, he has finally come of age.

Webster said: ‘I suppose I am regarded as a senior pro here nowadays. I have grown up in Pompey’s first-team.

‘Most people come through when they are 18 or 19 or a bit later, but I was chucked in when I was 17 – even earlier than that really when I played against Real Betis.

‘As a centre-half, at that age when you first come into the team, you’re not going to play there because you are not developed enough, you need to be stronger.

‘Michael Appleton told me I probably wouldn’t play centre-half until I was 21, but I never minded playing right-back or left-back, I used to enjoy it.

‘Although, when you end up getting stick and things aren’t going so well it’s not easy, especially when I am naturally a central defender.

‘When you look at the situation now, it’s crazy how quickly things can change and how people’s opinions can alter, that’s football and that’s how it goes.

‘These days I feel very confident, obviously the gaffer has shown a lot of faith in me this season so I have just got to keep performing on the pitch.