x

Pompey's fan funders see where their money went

Three years on from a fundraising campaign that saw Pompey fans contribute £270,000 to pay for new pitches for the club's academy, the fruits of the grand effort can be seen.

Manager Kenny Jackett, Academy boss Mark Kelly and CEO Mark Catlin were among guests who spoke at an official opening ceremony for the pitches at the club's Copnor training ground.

And one of the messages all conveyed was how grateful they, the club as a whole and the Academy's players were to have the pitches to train on.

The pitches may have taken longer than all parties would have liked to have been put in place, but they look like being worth the wait, an important addition to the impressive facilities in place for the whole Blues family off Copnor Road.

It was in 2014 that the likes of Andy Awford, Paul Hardyman, Alan Knight and Linvoy Primus helped front the campaign, held together by Tifosy, to raise the money needed.

With a big push they gathered the £270,000 required with hours to spare - and the pitch plan was under way.

At Thursday's opening ceremony Tifosy said they had been involved in fundraising for numerous other English clubs but none of the reward-only based schemes, rather than investment schemes where donors potentially get a return, had netted more cash than the Pompey effort.

Jackett told guests of the importance of a solid youth set-up and good-quality training ground to any football club, and said the Academy pitches now in place helped progress the club's development on both those scores.

Kelly explained how and when the pitches would be used, while Catlin praised everyone who was involved in getting the campaign off the ground and seeing it through.

Guests, who included a number of fan funders and invitees from Portsmouth City Council, watched Pompey's scholars put through their paces by coach Mikey Harris, with Jackett and Kelly also among those looking on.

The event was hosted by Pompey's Colin Farmery, who was instrumental in getting the fundraising drive off the ground back in 2014.

Advertisement

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

What to read next:

Lincoln City 0 - 2 Portsmouth - Player Ratings and Reports
If you saw the match, please give us your player ratings and a mini match report.
No Pompey parade - but Southsea Common will see plenty of celebration
Pompey have had some memorable celebrations on Southsea Common since the turn of the century - and more such memories will be made on Sunday afternoon.
Portsmouth 1 - 2 Wigan Athletic - Player Ratings and Reports
If you saw the match, please give us your player ratings and a mini match report.
Pompey have new heroes in 2024 - and it takes me back to 1983, 2012 and many points in between
Sometimes I think about something I want to write about, get straight to it and end up rambling on for about 2,000 words. But this is different. I want to write 2,000 words about the League One champions and don’t know where or how to start.
Portsmouth 3 - 2 Barnsley - Player Ratings and Reports
If you saw the match, please give us your player ratings and a mini match report.
Bolton Wanderers 1 - 1 Portsmouth - Player Ratings and Reports
If you saw the match, please give us your player ratings and a mini match report.
Right Pompey approach can bring rewards at Bolton
It could be the under-statement of the season - Bolton v Pompey described as being as 'interesting contest'.
Our feet are still on ground: Pompey goal hero takes it a game at a time
Owen Moxon insists it's still 'feet on ground' time for Pompey as they try to edge closer to promotion when they host Shrewsbury on Saturday.
He's been exceptional - Kamara wins high praise for inspiring Pompey win at Wycombe
Jon Harley was quick to heap praise on Abu Kamara after the winger produced another top-class display to inspire Pompey to an Easter treat of a victory at Wycombe Wanderers.
Pompey chief on the moves that should protect English football and its clubs
Pompey's chief executive believes the new Football Governance Bill will help make the game more sustainable - and protect clubs from rogue owners.