John Jenkins: The 100-year-old Portsmouth fan who was loved by the nation's football family

Among the birthday gifts was the curious presence of a Gillingham shirt, proudly emblazoned with ‘Jenkins 100’ across its back.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

A gesture from Paul Scally, chairman of the League One club, keen to honour a figure not merely cherished by the city of Portsmouth, but loved across football.

Born in Southsea’s Collingwood Road, John Jenkins had been a Fratton Park fixture since the age of eight, when first taken by four uncles to watch the Blues in action against Sheffield Wednesday in October 1928.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He subsequently witnessed six promotions, eight relegations, two Division One titles, two FA Cups triumphs and the capture of the Checkatrade Trophy. Remarkably, this was his 91st Pompey season.

John Jenkins, who today passed away, celebrated his 100th birthday last month in the Legends Lounge at Fratton ParkJohn Jenkins, who today passed away, celebrated his 100th birthday last month in the Legends Lounge at Fratton Park
John Jenkins, who today passed away, celebrated his 100th birthday last month in the Legends Lounge at Fratton Park

Irrespective of his footballing allegiance, Jenkins’ understated nature and effortless warmth engendered immense respect from those within the game who had the good fortune to encounter him.

As the club’s long-time boardroom steward, before taking up ambassadorial duties later in his life, the D-Day veteran was an enduring friendly face, greeting match-day visitors with a smile and generosity of spirit appreciated.

The humble 100-year-old possessed a gentle charm capable of captivating any audience, friendships for life could be established within minutes, inevitably accompanied by laughter.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Only last month, Pompey gathered to mark Jenkins’ glorious century – never again will Fratton Park’s Legends Lounge represent such a fitting setting for an occasion.

The party brought together five generations of his family, among them daughter Dianne, who reaches 80 next year, while many familiar faces of Blues persuasion were also in attendance.

Former owner Milan Mandaric had journeyed from Zagreb, Croatia, for a breathless 48-hour visit to pay tribute to his long-time friend, a surprise attendee drawing tears from a shocked Jenkins.

Others included Iain McInnes, Alan Knight, Andy Awford and Ray Crawford, while those unable to attend were represented by the showcasing of a nine-minute video which delivered their warm messages.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The cast list consisted of present and past Pompey managers Kenny Jackett, Avram Grant, Harry Redknapp, Michael Appleton, Tony Adams, Steve Cotterill and Paul Cook.

There were also contributions from ex-players Linvoy Primus, Pedro Mendes, Svetoslav Todorov, Tom Naylor, Ricardo Rocha, Ben Close, Lee Bradbury, Gary O’Neil and Johnny Ertl.

In addition, there were testimonies from chairman Michael Eisner, Peter Storrie, Fred Dinenage and John Motson and former first-team coaches Leam Richardson and Ian Foster.

That touching November evening acknowledged the selfless contribution one man made to his beloved Pompey spanning more than nine decades.

You see, John Jenkins loved football – and football loves him.

John Jenkins MBE (November 16, 1919 – December 17, 2019)

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.