Former Liverpool and Spurs striker Peter Crouch reveals how 'nutcase' Herman Hreidarsson left Pompey team-mate with broken bone

The former Pompey striker has told how the Hermannator bundled Little over in pre-season in 2008 leading to the winger being sidelined just after signing for his new club.

Crouch paid tribute to Hreidarsson but admitted the Icelandic defender was a ‘nutcase’ who was one of the Blues’ big characters.

That was seen when Little was accosted and ended up damaging himself.

When asked of his memories of Hreidarsson by a reader in his Daily Mail column, Crouch said: ‘I love Hermann. I absolutely love him.

‘You will know what I mean when I say he is “a character” and I wonder if he ever greeted you in the same way that he used to greet us – with a handshake that almost ripped your arm off or by fighting with you.

‘Honestly, Hermann had a handshake that cut off your blood supply. Another one of his party tricks was putting you into a headlock but it was all a sign of affection. One incident sticks in my mind was with Glenn Little, after he'd just signed for Portsmouth in 2008.

‘Glenn was sitting in a chair, unaware that Hermann was crawling up behind him to 'greet' him. Suddenly, Glenn found himself wrapped in a chokehold and unable to move. Hermann, however, lost his balance and the pair of them tumbled over, leaving Glenn with a broken toe. When I call Hermann a nutcase, I mean it in the nicest possible way!’