Alan Knight has paid a glowing tribute to Bobby Campbell - the manager who guided Knight and the Blues team of the early 1980s back into the top half of the Football League.

The Fratton Legend said he never fell out with Campbell - Pompey manager from 1982 to 1984 - over football matters.

Writing in his column in The News: 'It was sad news when I heard about the death of my former manager Bobby Campbell. He was highly thought of throughout the game and especially at his clubs.

'A few people will say he didn’t suffer fools gladly but I think I only ever fell out with him once and that was over a sponsored car. As player of the year, I was supposed to get a sponsored car for a year and for some reason, it didn’t happen. I went into the showroom at Empress in Drayton to try to do a deal on the quiet and Bobby was in there doing a deal for himself as well!

'He got the hump with me for that but he did apologise later for doing it in public. But I don’t remember ever falling out with him over football. The bloke was fantastic for me. If he thought you were a good player and you were in his plans, he looked after you.

'I remember I was picked to play for England under-21s as an over-age player after Gary Bailey got injured. I played two games and then I was left out of the squad for the next game. But I remember Bobby Campbell called me into his office and then got Bobby Robson on the phone to explain why I had been left out, which I found amazing. Poor old Bobby Robson had nothing to do with the under-21s.'

Fans have been campaigning for the Fratton Park crowd to sing a tribute to Campbell in the 83rd minute of Sunday's televised game against AFC Wimbledon.

Follow @Pompey_Fans

Click here to sign up for an account and reserve your username! You can then post on the Forum and add your comments to articles

Photo: Action Images

Portsmouth Polls