Pompey fans are being asked to back Portsmouth’s bid to become the UK’s city of football.
The city has been shortlisted as one of the final three after applying to Sport England to win the accolade. The winner will see £1.6m awarded over two years to increase the number of people who regularly play football.
Clare Martin, director of community projects at Pompey in the Community, told The News: ‘The aim of the programme is to bring together a range of partners in a consortium who can look at new, innovative and bold ways of getting more people playing.
‘We are very keen to work with partners who can offer routes and connections to people who do not traditionally play the game. When we talk about getting more people playing the game we are not necessarily talking about the traditional forms of the game with 11 versus 11 on a Saturday afternoon.
‘For this bid, participation in football is anything anybody identifies as football, for example, a kick-about in the park, walking football, powerchair football etc.
‘Feedback from Sport England so far indicates that we need to take a few more risks in our projects and to think outside the box. For this we really welcome the ideas of people who are not necessarily from a sports or football background.
‘We would like to give everyone in the city the chance, not only for input into the submission, but to genuinely benefit should we be successful.’
Pompey in the Community is heading the bid and the consortium involves Portsmouth Football Club, The University of Portsmouth, the Royal Navy, The News and Portsmouth City Council.
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