Players club together/long standing tie ended

According to The Mail the Pompey players have clubbed together in an attempt to keep 8 members of the training grounds staff in work until the end of the season.

Portsmouth players offer pay wages training ground staff - here.

It is 'said' that David James and The Herminator, who are also STRONGLY believed to be the players that have offered to take pay cuts, are leading this quest with James 'apparently' having a request to personally pay training ground manager Tug Wilson and assistant kit man Clarke Denford's wages denied by Admin Andy?

The Mail 'understands' that 'the entire squad have clubbed together in an attempt to keep more training ground staff in employment,' with a 'Fratton insider' saying: 'these people are the oil in the machine.

'We are only talking about raising about £1,500 from each player. It's not a lot when they could end what has been a difficult season by appearing in the FA Cup final.'

This is a fantastic gesture from the players - of course it will, should it come off, be little comfort to the other members of staff that have lost their jobs although the players' priority will be to look after those that have worked closest with them day-in-day-out, right?

In a day and age when footballers get masses of negative press, and to be fair in many cases rightly so, this portrays the guys that we have in a different light doesn't it! Although the kind of light that is typical of Portsmouth Football Club, and Portsmouth as a whole, in a 'we will pull together' type mentality that we have always had...

Speaking of people losing their jobs, one that saw this happen to them was Roger North - after links to the Isle of Wight development centre were cut...

He told The News: 'I just keep thinking what a waste and I am absolutely bitter about it. No Pompey centre has been as successful as mine.

'We've had five lads who have played in the Football League and we've got 11 on Pompey's books at the moment.

'Now it has ended and no more will be going there.

'Anybody on the Isle of Wight who wants to play football comes to my development centre. So if they're good enough where do they go from there?'

After 19-years with the club his services were severed, and with that Pompey's links to the Isle of Wight production line which WILL now go to someone else.

So, another source of 'potential' future development for the club, and dare I say money as a result, is gone...

PLAY UP POMPEY!

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