Portsmouth boss John Mousinho has admitted his side wouldn’t have been able to sign Rob Atkinson on loan from Bristol City had he been fully fit.
The Robins confirmed last week that the 26-year-old defender would be leaving Ashton Gate on a temporary basis for the remainder of the season, having not featured for the Reds in almost two years.
Atkinson was a regular starter under Nigel Pearson but suffered an ACL injury in a draw with Sunderland at the Stadium of Light that ruled him out for an extended period. Although the defender was able to overcome that issue, other setbacks have kept him on the treatment table for much of Liam Manning’s tenure. He had been fit enough to appear on the bench for City in the last few months, but couldn’t force his way into the team ahead of Luke McNally, Zak Vyner or Rob Dickie.
Following the Reds’ win over Derby County, Manning explained that Atkinson needed to play regular Championship football to rebuild his confidence and fitness. The 26-year-old was thrown straight into the deep end with Pompey appearing as a second-half substitute in Mousinho’s side’s 1-0 defeat to Sunderland on Sunday.
Although Portsmouth left the Stadium of Light empty-handed, Atkinson impressed the travelling fans in the North East and his new manager was quick to laud him after the full-time whistle.
“You don’t get a fit Rob Atkinson,” Mousinho told The News. “A fit Rob Atkinson is playing every week is playing in the top half of the Championship and probably progresses from where he was at Bristol City, where he was doing really well before his injury.
“To give you a taste of how highly Bristol City rate him, after he tore his ACL two years ago, two months later they gave him a new three-year contract because of how good he had been. That’s how much potential Rob’s got, he is still only 26, and we saw that against Sunderland. I thought he was excellent when he came on.”
Before he made the move to Ashton Gate in the summer of 2021, Atkinson impressed in League One with Oxford United where his centre-back partner was often Mousinho. The current Portsmouth boss only called time on his playing career in 2023 before taking over the reins at Fratton Park.
While the 38-year-old’s experience playing alongside the Bristol City defender played a part in his decision to bring him to the South Coast, he insists Atkinson’s game on and off the field has grown during his time with the Robins.
“I can speak with some authority on Rob because I played with him at Oxford,” Mousinho admitted. “First of all, he’s a really good defender, dominant aerially, he can cover ground, he’s aggressive, he defends the box really well.
“One of his strongest attributes is the ability to carry the ball from the back and really gets you up the pitch. Since I’ve played with him, he has really grown as a young man and a leader as well. He’s going to be really important for us towards the back of the year.
“We don’t get Rob unless he is in the position now where Bristol City want him to get out to play games.”
Atkinson will have the chance to make his full Portsmouth debut this weekend when Pompey make the trip to Adam’s Park to face Wycombe Wanderers in the third round of the FA Cup. Mousinho’s side have already played the Reds twice in the Championship this term so the defender will be available for all remaining league matches as the reigning League One champions aim to avoid relegation from the second tier.
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