The despised fellow will never make good progress (5)
I believe the answer is:
creep
'the despised fellow' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'will never make good progress' is the wordplay.
I cannot really see how this works, but
'make' could be 'cree' (I've seen this in another clue) and 'cree' is located in the answer.
A single letter 'p' remains which might be clued in a way I don't understand.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for creep that I've seen before include "Obsequious person" , "Move with stealth" , "Move slowly with body close to ground" , "Of plants, to grow along the ground" , "grovel" .)