Fans sending in memorabilia to aid campaign
Pompey fans are queuing up to donate memorabilia to be sold to raise funds for the club’s academy.
As the campaign rapidly approaches £150,000, last week’s announcement that there will be regular ‘spot’ rewards – one-off opportunities to capture a piece of exclusive Blues memorabilia – has seen us inundated with offers.
Some of these rewards have only been available for a matter of minutes before being snapped up.
It all kicked off at the beginning of last week with the donation of a shirt signed by Paul Merson from Pompey fan Phil Robinson.
Since then we’ve seen a pair of Linvoy Primus’ boots and a 2006/07 football signed by members of that year’s squad, as well as plenty of signed shirts.
Micah Hall, Pompey’s commercial and marketing manager, was behind the idea of offering spot prizes.
He said: “When we started this initiative, the idea was to use things from our past to help fund the academy and it has really helped raise awareness and funds in the past week.
“What’s incredible about these donations is that we understand not everyone can afford to contribute financially and by doing this they can actually achieve even more.
“It underlines the fact that our fans are the best in the world and emphasises the community nature of this club.”
We’ve also sold a replica shirt from Jamie Ashdown, who has promised to help by providing a signed pair of his gloves.
Already a financial contributor to the campaign, we have promised to donate 50 per cent of the proceeds from Jamie’s shirt and gloves to Jack’s First Steps, a campaign to raise money for young Jack Sims, who suffers from Spastic Diplegic Cerebral Palsy.
Jamie said: “I’m delighted to support the new era of talent at Pompey by helping to raise money for the academy, while also helping a little boy called Jack walk for the first time by raising money for him to have an operation in America.”
Other donations continue to come in and we’re looking forward to receiving a 1948 Pompey Jubilee Notebook, from which 50 per cent of the proceeds raised will go to help Oakley Smith, who suffers from the same condition as Jack.
If you have some Pompey memorabilia you would like to donate, then please email portsmouth@tifosy.com
They will provide you with details of how to make the donation. If you wish for any of the proceeds to go to a designated charity, please let us know.
To be kept informed of the latest spot rewards, please keep an eye on our Facebook and Twitter pages.
If you would like to purchase one of our exclusive rewards, visit the campaign page where you can see the full range of rewards available and make a contribution from £5 to £500.