Yet unlike the recent pair, Hayden Carter will not face Pompey during the first half of this Championship season.
Knee surgery carried out at the end of last month is expected to sideline the versatile Blackburn defender for the remainder of 2024, thereby depriving him of a potential reunion on Saturday.
It leaves Rovers boss John Eustace with just three available centre-halves in Dominic Hyam, Danny Batth and Kyle McFadzean for Pompey’s visit.
Now aged 24, Carter lit up Pompey during the second half of the 2021-22 campaign, even capturing the Goal Of The Season honour in recognition of a 25-yard rocket against Oxford United.
Danny Cowley oversaw his recruitment on loan in January 2022 during a transfer window of mixed results, with Tyler Walker and Denver Hume also arriving.
Nonetheless, the youngster was a fine signing, operating on the right of a back three or at right-back, producing consistent quality displays in League One.
Carter was a pivotal figure during a remarkable run of just three defeats in the final 18 matches as the Blues rallied to finish 10th, albeit still missing out on the play-offs.
After totalling 22 appearances – and registering the decisive goal in a 3-2 victory over Oxford in March 2022 – unsurprisingly the Fratton faithful were keen on a permanent return that summer.
Indeed, Cowley enquired about the possibility of bringing the 22-year-old back to the south coast, with a potential £500,000 price tag even mooted.
At the time, the defender enigmatically told The News: ‘I wouldn’t say coming back to Pompey is not possible – and I wouldn’t say it’s definitely going to happen.
‘You never know in football, if the option (of Pompey) came up and I feel that’s the best thing for my career in terms of playing games and developing then I would be open to it.’
However, it was made clear by the defender that he wanted to fight for a Blackburn spot in the Championship, having spent time away on loan at both Pompey and Burton to bolster his development.
As it turned out, Carter walked straight into the Ewood Park first-team, subsequently making 36 appearances in 2022-23, of which 24 were league starts.
To date, he has featured 97 times and scored once for Rovers, while had started all 13 of their matches this season until injury struck in October.
Carter was forced off in the 34th minute in a goalless draw with West Brom with a knee injury and, following surgery, is expected to be out for ‘between two or three months’.
It means he initially won’t have the chance to lock horns with the club where he shone during an impressive loan spell.
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