'Neither will be with us going forward': Non-league club won't be keeping Portsmouth loan pair

Chelmsford City have announced they will not be renewing the loans of two Pompey players.

Josh Oluwayemi and Liam Vincent had already returned to Fratton Park to receive treatment for injuries sustained while representing the National League South club.

With their loans expiring at the turn of the year, the non-leaguers have now revealed on their club website that ‘neither will be with us going forward’.

It’s particularly unfortunate for Oluwayemi, who had established himself as first-choice keeper for Chelmsford before breaking his thumb against Maidstone in November.

The same match marked Vincent’s debut, yet the left-sided player came off injured in the 68th minute and also hasn’t featured since.

Now Pompey will have to weigh up whether to find the pair fresh loans during the second half of the campaign.

Chelmsford’s official website said: ‘As well as that, there have been other deals in the loan market. Josh Oluwayemi and Liam Vincent have both returned to Portsmouth, following injuries while on loan.

‘Robbie said: “Obviously Josh (Oluwayemi) is still recovering from his freak, thumb injury and his loan has finished. A big thanks to him for all of his efforts for us, and we wish him well with that.

‘Liam (Vincent) is obviously the most unfortunate sort of loan going really, with getting injured in his first game. I think he is still not fully back fit, but we wish him well with his recovery. Unfortunately, neither will be with us going forward.”

‘Josh Oluwayemi featured 24 times for the club, impressing on multiple occasions between the sticks. Liam, as mentioned, sadly played just 67 minutes with the club.’

Chelmsford represented Vincent’s third loan spell this season, following two stints at Worthing, the club he also played for last term.

Yet he’s struggled for match involvement and now injury has been decisive in a disappointing spell with the Clarets.

Signed from Bromley in June 2021 for an undisclosed fee, Vincent has still to make his Pompey first-team debut and is out of contract this summer.