Former Wigan Athletic Winger Told He Has No Championship Future
Former West Ham, Wigan and Lincoln City midfielder Anthony Scully has been told there is no future for him at Portsmouth this season.
Scully, who joined Pompey from relegated Wigan at the beginning of last season, played a minor role as his current side were promoted. Shortly after joining Pompey, he tore the meniscus in his left knee, ruling him out until Christmas. Since then, he’s suffered a string of knocks and niggles, which restricted him to just six League One outings.
This summer, he appeared just once against Gosport, and he didn’t travel to MK Dons last night for Pompey’s friendly. That prompted head coach John Mousinho to clarify that the 25-year-old is now available for transfer.
“For us at the football club, it is probably the right time,’ said the former Oxford man. “We’ve had a look at everything pre-season and maybe it’s a good time for both parties to shake hands and part ways if we can find something which is mutually agreeable. He’s still training with us, just didn’t travel with us. He wasn’t going to get the minutes, so there was no point in him travelling.”
That means Scully’s agent now has a little over a month to sort him out a club for the new season, with a host of League One teams likely to be interested in the winger.
He started his career at West Ham, enjoying a prolific spell in their academy sides, before moving to Lincoln City in 2020. His time in Lincoln was exceptional, hitting 17 goals in his first full season as the Imps made the League One play-offs. In his second campaign he caught the eye by grabbing two goals and three assists as the Imps hammered Cambridge United 5-1, and again ended the season in double figures.
That prompted Wigan to pay an undisclosed fee for him in August 2022, but since then he’s had a torrid time. He played just four times for them in the Championship and left following their relegation in May 2023.
Site Opinion
If he’s available for nothing, then there’s a League One club out there about to get a huge bargain. Scully was excellent for Lincoln, the only real bright spark in their 2021/22 campaign. He’s been hugely unlucky with fitness over the past two seasons, but if he is fit and firing, then he’s going to be a huge asset for someone.
His biggest strength is cutting in from the left and curling right-footed efforts at goal, a trademark he perfected during his stay at the LNER. It’s just a pity Wigan fans didn’t get to see that, as it might have helped keep them in the Championship.
