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Who is the maniac (in the best sense of the term) Pompey fan who has the blue and white hat, the Pompey tattoos, and the "I'm a Pompey supporter" badge? I first saw him at the Craven Cottage game, and was curious to learn a little more. Thanks for all help.

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Its difficult not to spot him isnt it :-)

From Wikipedia (Yes he has his own Wikipedia page)

John Portsmouth Football Club Westwood (born 1963) is one of the most recognisable football fans in England.

Westwood has supported Portsmouth since childhood. When he left school he went to work at his father's second-hand bookshop and began to attend ever-increasing numbers of "Pompey" matches. As his commitment grew, so too did his range of Portsmouth F.C themed accessories. In 1994 he changed his name, by deed poll, from J.A. Westwood to J.P.F.C. Westwood.

Despite his large size and deafening exhortations, Westwood is regarded by most fans[who?] as a symbol of passionate but non-violent commitment to his chosen team. He was even chosen to be one of the featured people in the BBC's "One Nation" Series. Since his father's death he has taken over the family business. In 2007 Westwood wrote a book called "The true Pompey Fan's Miscellany. He also features on the cover of Chuck Culpepper's "Up Pompey", an American's take on the fans of the English Premier League.

Westwood can be clearly heard ringing a bell, to represent the "Pompey Chimes", almost continuously throughout Portsmouth matches - even on television coverage. Westwood was not permitted to bring any instruments to the FA Cup final in 2008, but witnessed Portsmouth win the FA Cup for the first time in 69 years.

Amongst a section of fans John has become known as 'Nobby Portsmouth', a name that was coined in a Middlesbrough fanzine for the Middlesbrough-Portsmouth game in October 2005.[citation needed] He has also appeared on Sky's Premier League Allstars, playing for Portsmouth.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Portsmouth_Football_Club_Westwood

A video of him preparing for a game

 http://www.bbc.co.uk/videonation/articles/s/southampton_pompey.shtml

Personally I'm like a lot of fans who thinks of him as that prat with the bell, however my view on him changed a bit when I went to the League cup game at Gillingham in the Perin era, the team was dire that day, and the support a bit flat because of it, but Westwood was going around the stand trying to get the fans to get behind Pompey it worked too, so now I do have a bit of admiration for him, but hope I never get sat near him :-)

Jen

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Hey, I was at that game, on the second row from the front.  Westwood was told to sit down on numerous occasions, and spent a lot of the second half singing play up pompey continuously all on his own!

I also remember the abuse thrown at Perrin after the game AND I got stopped by the police on the way home and they laughed when I told them where I'd been and what I'd just witnessed (the 3-2 scoreline), and let me go without any checks etc!!

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It was a dire game, I remember talking to a couple of police officers in the carpark before the game, they thought they had no chance, I just dont think they realised just how bad we were then.

The weird thing was it was my first away game I went to on my own, spur of the moment decision that evening almost made the journey to test out my new satnav, kind of wish I hadnt bothered certainly was one of the low points of supporting Pompey.

Jen

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Thanks to all for your assistance.

 He has his own Wikipedia page?!? That is wild.

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I know, I was slightly surprised when I found it.  But thats Wikipedia for you, the ultimate source for all thats odd :-)