'Mr Portsmouth' Linvoy Primus did a decent job of selling them to investors when he visited Soccer AM.
Fratton fans make struggling club top draw
'Mr Portsmouth' Linvoy Primus did a decent job of selling the club to investors when he dropped in on
Soccer AM.
The 36-year-old was forced to call time on his 19-year playing career in December, but he remains at Fratton Park in an ambassadorial role and has seen first hand the impact the club's financial problems have had on its staff and players.
And the man renowned as a whole-hearted defender during his time at Fratton Park is equally passionate when it comes to selling the 2008 FA Cup winners' potential as they continue to fight a winding-up order from HM Revenue & Customs over unpaid tax.
He said: "The potential the club has is so big. The FA Cup was a great day, but it wasn't just the 30,000 who were there it was the 200,000 out on the common the next day to welcome us back.
"Portsmouth's an island - people forget that. There's only two bridges which attach us to the mainland, and there is an island mentality that 'this is our club'.
"You don't see too many other shirts around - the odd Chelsea shirt, but they don't last too long!"
Isolated
Pompey are odds-on to go down this season having slipped eight points adrift of safety, so how are the off-field problems affecting the players, who have consistently been paid late this season?
"The younger players feel it more when they're not sure what they're going to get at the end of the month," said Primus. "Guys still have mortgages, still have bills to pay.
"We've been isolated a bit. We didn't know how serious it was until we were watching
Sky Sports News and they were all: 'you could be shut today'.
"At the training ground morale is pretty good, but at the offices it's different. They're in the middle of it every day and can't go out on the pitch and get it out of their system."
Charity
Ask anyone at Pompey, Charlton, Barnet or Reading and they will tell you that Primus is one of football's genuine good guys, and his concern for those less well off extends beyond Pompey to a charity - Faith & Football - founded with fellow footballer Darren Moore.
He told Max and Helen: "We started it seven years ago, and we decided we just wanted to give something back.
"The only thing we really know is football, and we go to inner-city areas and give them the chance to play football. That bit of building them up on the football pitch can help them with their schoolwork."
Watch Linvoy's chat with Max and Helen by clicking on the video on the top right of the page
For more information about Linvoy's charity check out the website at www.faithandfootball.org.uk
