Matt Tubbs turned down a superior financial package from AFC Wimbledon to join Portsmouth because he wanted “to progress his career”.

The 30-year-old, recalled from his loan spell at the CRRS by AFC Bournemouth and then subsequently released, signed a two and a half year deal with Dons’ League Two rivals yesterday.

Portsmouth are five points below Dons in the table, but Tubbs declared he had moved into Fratton Park to win “ promotion”.

He told the Portsmouth-based newspaper The News: “Wimbledon offered a deal that, as a financial package, was better than the Portsmouth deal.

“But, for me, it’s not about money but trying to progress in my career.

“In the two and a half years I’m a Portsmouth player, I really feel we can gain promotion.”

He added: “The package Wimbledon come up with, like Neal Ardley said publicly, was an outstanding offer.

“But I’ve made my decision and I wanted to play my football at Fratton Park. We can get to the play-offs and gain promotion.

“This league is unpredictable. You only need to win two or three games on the spin and then you are up there.

“This squad is capable of doing something. I’m here for promotion.”

Meanwhile, Ardley is also resigned to losing loanee Adam Barrett after his parent club Gillingham requested a permanent deal.

Ardley told the club’s website: “The feedback we got from them [Gills] last week was that they did not want to loan Adam back and it would have to be a permanent agreement.

“We started to pursue that this week, but it became too complicated and long-winded.

“It also involved waiting until the end of January and we would still not know for certain if we were going to get him.”