Former Sheffield United favourite Kieron Freeman keen to make up for lost time at Portsmouth after "wasted" two years

The defender spent six seasons with the Blades, helping them win promotion from League One in Chris Wilder’s first year in charge before tasting more success when the Blades went up to the Premier League shortly after.

But Freeman found opportunities limited by the form and fitness of full-back rival George Baldock, and was released by the Blades last summer after making over 140 appearances.

Despite expectations from all parties that Freeman would soon find a new club, nothing materialised until January this year when he signed a short-term deal at Swindon Town.

That same month he was signed by Swansea, then chasing promotion to the Premier League, but played only one game before being released after the Swans’ defeat in the Championship play-off final, which he watched from the bench.

After 10 senior appearances in two years, Freeman rejected an offer from Rotherham United to move to Pompey in the summer and has featured 11 times already this season.

A former Wales international, making his senior debut in Albania whilst at United, Freeman revealed he was reduced to running in his local park with his partner and buying weights to use at home while he waited for the phone to ring after alleging his former agent didn’t have his best interests at heart.

“I wasted two years of my career just sitting about doing nothing,” admitted Freeman, in an interview with The Star’s sister newspaper The News.

“The previous time I was playing regularly was when Sheffield United were on the verge of going to the Premier League and I was playing international football for Wales. That was 2018-19.

“With Sheffield United doing so well and not changing the team, I then didn’t get a chance to play. It is what it is, that’s how football works sometimes.

“In the last year of my contract, I had a lot of clubs wanting to take me, but they wouldn’t let me leave.

“I was offered a new United deal and basically it was out of my hands without me knowing. By the time I found out, the contract was gone. That was my old agent.

“What happened next was the worst time of my career. I felt I had so much to give, but no-one to give it to.

“I then had six months with no club, waiting on people’s ifs, buts and maybes. I wasn’t injured, it was down to politics. My old agent didn’t have my best interests at heart.

“I didn’t have anyone to play for. Instead I’d run in the park with my partner, Lavheen, to keep fit. I also painted a lot of doors and a lot of walls, I can tell you.

“For a while there weren’t even any gyms open because of Covid, so I had to buy my own weights and do some work. Mainly it was running, though.

“Lavheen was starting to get into fitness and, with the kids at school, she joined me on runs. It was nice; I wasn't in it alone, running by myself.

“I’m choosing my words carefully here, but my old agent let me down big time. He kept saying: ‘We’ll sort something out, we’ll sort something out’. It got to the point then when I stopped even ringing him, I thought he’d just ring when something came about. But nothing did.

“By the time I finally got a club, I had changed my agency.”

Freeman’s period in the wilderness ended when he signed for Swindon in League One, although his unveiling was delayed after he contracted Covid-19. He made two appearances for Swindon, a 2-2 draw at Charlton and a 1-0 loss to Hull, before Swansea made their move.

They were in the running for Premier League promotion at the time and paid around £100,000 to sign Freeman. He made one appearance in a Swans shirt, coming off the bench for less than half an hour of an FA Cup defeat at home to Manchester City, and describes the whole experience as “a waste of time”.

“I said to my new agent: ‘Look, I just want to play football, that’s all I want to do’. That’s the whole reason why I went to Swindon.

“I’d gone from playing in the Premier League, to a free transfer unable to get a club, to playing for Swindon and then, three weeks later, bought by a Championship club!

“Swansea were second and pushing to go into the Premier League. How do you say no to that? You can't really. I ended up playing one game there and that was against Manchester City. Still, how can you say no?

“Having said that, it was a waste of time really, a waste of everyone’s time. Nothing against the club - it’s a great club, really well run with some fantastic people. But, for my career, it was a waste of time.”

Freeman was a popular player at Bramall Lane, with teammates and fans alike. He won plaudits for the way he turned around his fortunes after Wilder’s arrival – placed on the transfer list along with Paul Coutts, both men remained professional and eventually played decisive roles as the Blades stormed to the league title that season.

Still only 29 years old, Freeman still has a lot to offer as a player – and feels his protracted journey to the south coast has made him a stronger person, too.

“When Danny Cowley came to me with his plan, you can understand why I bought into it and joined Pompey,” he added.

“It was a no-brainer. I was sick and tired of waiting around.

“What happened to me over that period made me stronger. Mentally, it helped me understand what I wanted.

“I’ve played a lot and won quite a bit, but you always need to prove yourself.”