We're celebrating Black History Month by telling the story of members of the black community who are connected with Pompey's rich history.
Lindy Delapenha
In 1948, Lloyd Lindbergh 'Lindy' Delapenha became Pompey's first ever black player and the first Jamaican to appear in English football.
The inside-forward featured in eight games during the successful 1948/49 and 1949/50 campaigns, scoring his only goal for the club in an FA Cup tie against Norwich.
A pioneer, Delapenha – who was also talented at cricket, hockey and athletics – was the first black footballer to feature in an English title-winning side. He passed away in 2017 at the age of 89.
Noel Blake
Jamaica-born centre-back Blake joined Pompey from Birmingham in 1984 and was part of the side, led by Alan Ball, that twice narrowly missed out on promotion to the top-flight.
They were denied first on goal difference and then by three points before making it third time lucky, finishing as Division Two runners-up in the 1986/87 campaign.
Blake missed just a single game that term and recovered from a knee injury to feature 23 times the following season.
He made a total of 173 appearances for the club and scored 13 goals before departing for Leeds.
Linvoy Primus
The central defender spent nine years on the south coast after arriving from Reading in 2000.
Initially deemed surplus to requirements by Harry Redknapp, Primus proved his manager wrong by playing a crucial role as the Division One title was claimed in 2002/23 and was voted Player of the Season by supporters.
He scored his first Premier League goal against Crystal Palace on Boxing Day in 2004 before famously bagging a brace in a 2-1 victory at West Ham exactly two years later.
Primus made 219 appearances for the Blues before retiring in 2009 due to injury and later took up an ambassadorial role at the club.
August 2006 saw the arrival of three of Pompey's most influential black players – all part of the club's FA Cup-winning campaign just two years later.
David James
The former England international goalkeeper is fifth on the list of all-time Premier League appearances and his 169 clean sheets was previously a record for the division.
He arrived on the south coast from Manchester City and did not concede a single goal in any of his first five Pompey outings.
James won the second major trophy of his career with the Blues following a 1-0 FA Cup final victory over Cardiff at Wembley in May 2008.
Pompey finished eighth in the Premier League that season and he was named as in the PFA Team of the Year – one of only two players outside the ‘big four’ clubs to be recognised.
In his four Wembley appearances for the club, James kept three clean sheets against West Brom, Cardiff and Tottenham.
He played 158 times in total before departing after his contract expired at the end of the 2009/10 campaign.
Sol Campbell
The defender is one of only two FA Cup-winning captains for Pompey and joined the club from Arsenal in 2006.
He wore the armband on one of the greatest days in the club's history, as the Blues beat Cardiff 1-0 at Wembley to lift the famous silverware for the first time in 69 years.
Campbell played 111 times in total for the Blues, having previously been part of the ‘Invincibles’ side for the Gunners.
Kanu
The King. Forever remembered by Pompey fans for that moment at Wembley on Saturday, May 17 in 2008 at approximately 3.37pm.
Peter Enckelman parried John Utaka’s cross into the path of the Nigerian, who slotted the ball home from close range.
It was the strike that secured the FA Cup for the second time in the club’s history and brought European football to Fratton Park.
Kanu also scored his first goal of the following campaign on a momentous day for the Blues, as they drew 2-2 with Italian giants AC Milan in the UEFA Cup.
He struck 28 times in 167 appearances for Pompey before departing in 2012.
We also caught up with some of our current players to discover their role models from the black community.
Christian Saydee
My role model is Martin Luther King, just because of how he changed the look on the world and the way that black people were treated in those times. There has been a huge change overall since then.
Abu Kamara
If I had to pick one person then I would say Idris Elba. He’s from the same country as me, has the same background as me and has been very successful.
It's great to see people you can relate with succeed and hopefully I can follow in his footsteps in terms of his success.
Tino Anjorin
My role model from the black community is Michael Jordan. As a kid I looked up to him – I think everyone looked up to him in a way because of his stature.
The fact that he was someone that anyone could look up to, whatever the colour of your skin, says something in itself.
His mentality as a sportsman was admirable. He also had incredible work ethic and dedication. He had everything all in one, which made him the perfect athlete and person to try to be.
Jazz Younger
I've always looked up to Serena Williams. She symbolises resilience and has always broken barriers on and off the court.
She is an inspiration to me and every other woman who plays a sport – a trailblazer who inspires women beyond the sporting world.