Tributes paid to lifelong Portsmouth FC fan Paul Nicol, who died from Covid-19

Paul Nicol, 58 from Portsmouth, died on Friday after testing positive for coronavirus.

He was taken to Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham due to breathing problems, but never recovered.

A huge Pompey fan, he was well-known among supporters for being an ever-present figure in the North Stand and was loved by many.

Formerly part of the armed forces, he was considered by many to be a pillar of the community.

Friend Tim Austin, from Milton, says he will be sorely missed by many.

He said: ‘Paul was one of the nicest blokes you could ever meet. He was adored by all his mates and his family.

‘I was just stunned by the news – Paul was a pretty athletic bloke and I’ve never known him to be ill before.

‘Perhaps it just goes to show exactly how potent this virus actually is.’

Paul joined the Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service in 1978, serving as an able seaman on torpedo recovery ships.

In 1989, he transferred to the diving section, and was the last RMAS diver to conduct a deep dive as part of a mission to recover a crashed Phantom jet.

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A family man, Paul loved spending time with wife Kathy, children Sam and Emma and his pet bulldog, Winston.

Following his death, a GoFundMe was set up by Tim to pay for the funeral.

But donations have flooded in from the Fratton faithful, and now the total is just shy of £15,000.

Tim said: ‘Among us lads we always chipped in when someone was struggling, so a GoFundMe felt like the right thing to do.

‘It’s a huge surprise, but proves just how well-liked Paul was. Even Eric Eisner, the chairman’s son, has put in £500.

‘Whatever is left after the funeral is paid for will just go straight to Paul’s family, they deserve it.

‘Paul was a pillar of our community and a proud upholder of our military heritage – but above all he was a good friend.’

To donate to Paul’s funeral, people can go to gofundme.com/f/paul-nicol-rip.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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