'It wasn't a surprise - but I'm okay': Sean Raggett lifts the lid on his heartbreaking Portsmouth departure

‘Realist’ Sean Raggett confessed he had long anticipated his Fratton Park exit - yet it still hurt.

The popular central defender was among 10 players released by the Blues in the aftermath of their League One title triumph.

Yet the 31-year-old insists he had been braced for the heartbreaking decision since briefly losing his first-team spot to Tom McIntyre in January.

He subsequently enjoyed an outstanding second half of the season, earning the Fratton faithful’s adulation as John Mousinho’s men secured the club’s Championship return in style.

For Raggett, though, his departure felt inevitable - and there were no surprises when Pompey’s head coach relayed the news on Mondat, ending five years with the Blues.

He told The News: ‘I’m a realist and the writing was probably on the wall for me when we signed Tom McIntyre. That left the club with four contracted centre-halves for next season.

‘I didn’t start the season and was taken out when Tom came in, so I kind of worked it out for myself, which was fine. Obviously I wouldn’t have chosen to have left, but I was okay with the decision, that’s football, that’s how things go.

‘When I had my meeting with the gaffer on Monday, he mentioned how we’d spoken quite a few times this season and didn’t always agree, but it’s good to have those conversations, that’s how you learn things.

‘You can’t really argue too much about decisions he’s made because, at the end of the day, we’ve won the title. And I’m grateful I managed to play a good chunk in a very successful season.

‘Once you have it in your head that this could be my last season, you can deal with it okay. That’s why it didn’t come as a big surprise. Pompey has unfortunately come to an end now.

‘I am 31 years old, I would have loved to have stayed, but I have no issue with the decision and there is no animosity to the gaffer. I hope he continues the trajectory he’s on and does well with this fantastic football club.

‘It’s football, players are going to come and go across the country over the next couple of weeks, it’s one of those things.

‘It would have been hard accepting something like a 12-month deal, as much as I would have loved to have stayed. You have to do things to look after your family, so I don't know.

‘I definitely would have considered it, but it didn't come anyway, so there’s not too much point thinking about it.’

With Raggett overlooked for the last match of the season at Lincoln, dropped from the 18-man squad, it meant his farewell had been against Wigan the previous Saturday.

The defender was disappointed to be omitted against his former club for what proved to be a 2-0 success for the Blues. Yet, on reflection, Wigan was the perfect send off.

He added: ‘I was annoyed I didn’t play at Lincoln, for sure. I was disappointed.

‘The gaffer gave his reasons why he was doing what he did, I gave my reasons why I wanted to play and felt I deserved to play. We didn't quite agree and that’s fine, that's football.

‘Of course I would have loved to have played that game, but, in the same breath, one of the points the manager made was that my last game for the club was against Wigan. And he’s right.

‘I will hold that match in very high regard for the rest of my life. That was my last involvement in playing for Pompey, so I can’t really complain too much.

‘It has been the best club I’ve played for in my career - and to be able to end it like that is amazing.’