The former football players joined Olympic swimmer Katy Sexton to encourage young people and the over-65s to follow their lead and get their free flu jabs.

Last year, 7,194 older people in Portsmouth did not take up the vaccine, and health bosses at Portsmouth City Primary Care Trust are keen to lower that figure this year.

The trust will offer about 45,000 flu jabs in the city.

'That's enough to cover every over-65 in Portsmouth plus younger people with long-term health conditions that put them at greater risk from the flu, such as Katy Sexton who has asthma.

Pat Neil used to play for Portsmouth FC in the 1950s and 1960s. As chairman of Pompey Ex-Professionals Reunion Club he was delighted to back the drive.

'It's a very simple thing to do,' he said. 'Most of the surgeries have got stock in already. Everybody should take advantage of it.'

Mr Neil, 70, has been having his flu jabs for the past five years.

He said: 'It's already part of our routine for us over 65s. One of our group, Charlie Dawes, has had trouble with his heart so if he caught the flu it would be very serious for him.'