One Linvoy Primus!

A popular football chant among fans is 'there's only one so and so - insert name here' although as far as a person like Linvoy Primus goes there quite literally is ONLY one player, and person, of his type and I VERY, VERY much doubt Pompey, well football in general, will ever see a player of his type, or commitment again.

To be fair you can bracket the likes of Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and I guess Gary Neville in this bracket in terms of 'loyalty' although do any of them really offer, or have they, off the pitch that Linvoy has? Has any player, at any club in any country, really offered so much to a club and/or community as Linvoy has, and will continue to?

Whilst Linvoy was not a 'superstar' name, lets face it he was bloody good, and what I would give for a 'team of Linvoy's' now - I just hope that the guys in our squad have taken notice from the sidelines when he was presented with his plaque and the honour of having a stand named after him for the coming season and thought 'I need to aspire to that'...

I would 'hope' that the younger members of the squad, who I would also hope have looked up to him as they have developed at Pompey, did and WILL aim to achieve half of what he has during his years at Pompey as a player - as if they do they will do bloody well, and can look back and be proud.

My admiration for Linvoy has never been hidden, he quite literally is a man - despite having never met him in person - that I would trust with my life, and in many ways as much as I love Portsmouth Football Club 'really' deserves, and has deserved, something better, if you get what I mean.

It has been said, on several occasions that a 'role' would be sorted for him, I am not sure if this has actually been the case yet, but 'IF' this has not been sorted yet lets get on and do this - I appreciate that 'adding to the playing squad' is needed, if/when we can, but ensuring that Linvoy has a JOB FOR LIFE at this club is absolutely essential as I am convinced, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the guy can offer so much to the club and the community and MUST be a part of the future as we look to rebuild.

He should NEVER be allowed to leave this club, and unless he is given 'reason' to do so I am sure that he will not ever want to.

As for the game itself, whilst a few of the players will not be involved, down to the fact the clearly are not ready or will be sold based on this performance, with this bunch of players, I go into the season 'quietly confident' that we can, at the very least, secure a 21st place finish - and that, for me, is something that I would take and take as a 'successful season.'

Someone that I would certainly, not at left back mind, be looking to bring into the 1st team on a regular basis this season would be Matty Ritchie.

I know I am a self confessed fan of his, and have been wound up as having him as an 'illegitimate son' due to my liking of him, but I though he was fantastic so I really hope that the lack of 'response' that Swindon have had from us for him remains to be the case...

Several players look very much up for it though, so in spite of our problems, assuming we can retain most of what we have, I do think that with this spirit on the pitch, and ours off it, we have something to be optimistic about this season.

PLAY UP POMPEY!

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