Former Hartlepool United promotion-winner pens new deal with Championship side

The 29-year-old left Barnsley to join the Hampshire outfit in February and started the final two games of the season as Pompey secured their Championship status thanks to a 16th placed finish.

Having spent a decade at Chelsea in his youth, Killip signed for Norwich in 2013. While he enjoyed loan spells at King's Lynn and Lowestoft, he never made a senior appearance at Carrow Road and signed for Grimsby in 2017.

He spent a single season in Cleethorpes, featuring 10 times in all competitions, before signing for National League side Braintree. It was during his time with the Iron that he rose to prominence, was capped by England C and came to the attention of Pools, who swooped to sign him in May 2019.

Killip's first season in the North East was mixed and he briefly lost his place in the side to back-up goalkeeper Mitch Beeney in January following a string of mistakes. However, the 2020/21 campaign proved far more successful as he kept 13 clean sheets in 29 matches. He did, however, miss out on playing in the play-offs following an injury as Pools won promotion back to the Football League under Dave Challinor; in the end, Middlesbrough loanee Brad Young was the hero, saving Matt Buse's decisive penalty in a dramatic shootout at Ashton Gate.

Even so, Killip had firmly established himself as the club's first choice in-between the sticks, playing 49 times the following season, including at Selhurst Park against Premier League Crystal Palace in the fourth round of the FA Cup as well as the semi-finals of the Football League Trophy.

Killip's fourth and final season at Victoria Park was perhaps his most challenging; he received considerable criticism from fans and lost his place in January as Pools were relegated back to the National League.

Nonetheless, Killip secured a move to League One Barnsley, spending the next 18 months in South Yorkshire before signing for Portsmouth in February on a short-term deal.

Killip did enough during his initial stint at Fratton Park to secure a new two-year deal, with Portsmouth boss John Mousinho talking up his side's competition for places in the goalkeeping department.

"We're delighted that Ben will be remaining at the club and our goalkeeping options look particularly strong," he told the club's official website.

"He complements the other guys we have here really well and that competition should bring out the best in all of them.

"We saw what Ben was capable of in those two games at the end of last season and I'm looking forward to working with him once more when the players report back later this month."

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