Craig MacGillivray departs Shrewsbury Town for Portsmouth on a free transfer

The 25-year-old was keen to secure more first-team football as a regular No.1 after playing second-fiddle to on-loan Manchester United man Dean Henderson last season.

He was offered a fresh Town contract, the club confirmed via their retain list, which was finalised and issued by former boss Paul Hurst after the play-off final defeat to Rotherham.

The new Pompey keeper said: “I can’t thank the gaffer enough for the faith he’s shown in me by bringing me here and it was a move I couldn’t really turn down.

“We played against Pompey when I was at Shrewsbury and the thing that really sticks in my mind is the noise and the sheer scale of the club. The fan-base here is huge.

“When I got the call asking me to sign here, that was all brought back for me and I just couldn’t wait to sign.

"The thing that really sticks in my mind is the noise and the sheer scale of the club.

“Hopefully the supporters will take to me and we can build a good relationship because I’ve come here to play games."

Former Walsall keeper MacGillivray is looking forward to his chance at catching the headlines after watching Henderson impress last season.

"It's very frustrating but when you do get your opportunity to play you have to make sure you do as well as him if not better," he said.

"He's a very good goalkeeper and I'm sure he's going to have a very good career.

"But for me it's now Portsmouth and my turn to play.

"It was very disappointing to fall at the last hurdle but in hindsight it was still a very good season.

"No I wouldn't have expected it last August. The season before they were struggling, the squad brought in I knew there wasn't a chance they'd be down there but the bookmakers did have them down there.

"After pre-season I thought 'we've got half a chance here'."

New Town chief John Askey has his work cut out in bulking Town in the goalkeeping department having seen Henderson return to Old Trafford, MacGillivray move to Fratton Park and academy graduate Shaun Rowley released.

MacGillivray made 14 appearances for Shrewsbury in his one season with the club.