Former Portsmouth, Leicester and Sheffield Wednesday owner Milan Mandaric makes first Fratton Park appearance for more than a decade

The Serbian-American was back at his old stomping ground for the first time in more than a decade – with his last PO4 attendance coming in September 2010, when the then Leicester chairman saw his side lose 6-1 in the Championship to the Blues.

A return was previously pencilled in for 2019, when back in the city to celebrate John Jenkins’ 100th birthday.

However, Pompey’s game against Fleetwood during that visit was called off, denying the now 84-year-old the chance to be be reunited with the Blues.

Mandaric was at the helm of one of the most memorable periods in the club’s history, as he oversaw their rise to the Premier League in a seven-year stay as the club’s owner between 1999 and 2006, when he sold the Blues to Sacha Gaydamak.

Since waving goodbye to Fratton Park, he’s owned Leicester and Sheffield Wednesday and acted as president of Slovenian outfit NK Olimpija.

However, speaking to The News during his 2019 visit, Mandaric revealed where Pompey still stood in his affections.

He said at the time: ‘I’m very excited to go back to Portsmouth and it’s going to be a very emotional time.

‘There’s quite a few old friends still here.

‘I will go back to Port Solent, the place where I used to live in an apartment.

‘It will be great to walk around again and the weekend will wake some special memories for me.’

New chief sports writer, Neil Allen, caught up with Mandaric ahead of today’s game.

You can see his interview with Pompey’s owner next week at portsmouth.co.uk.