Paul Robinson has left Portsmouth today after supposedly being deemed surplus to requirements by Paul Cook.
The 33-year-old was comfortably Pompey's best defender last season and was named as the captain for the upcoming campaign so this move is extremely baffling on the surface. Something must have happened behind the scenes for the manager to be so ruthless as this action makes little sense otherwise.
The only reasoning for this is simply to get a high salary off the wage bill to pay for another player coming in, rumoured to be Plymouth's Reuben Reid as he was supposedly "spotted" at the training ground today and the number ten shirt in the squad has been suspicously left vacant.
It would be a move that Cook could potentially avoid too, given that Christian Burgess, Adam Webster and the incoming Matt Clarke as his options at centre back along with Jack Whatmough once he returns to fitness.
It's a shame to see such a popular player go and personally I can only hope that he hasn't done anything that has given Cook no choice but to let him go.
However, I'm sure that for now everyone will wish Robbo all the best for the future and he will undoubtedly receive a warm reception when he inevitably turns out for another club at Fratton Park somewhere down the line.