John Portsmouth Football Club Westwood (born 1963) is one of the most recognisable football fans in England.[1] He decided at school not to follow the trend, common in the televisual age, to follow a successful top-division club. Instead he made a trip to Fratton Park, home of Portsmouth F.C. and was hooked. When he left school he went to work at his father's second-hand bookshop and over time built up a sound grasp of the book trade. Simultaneously, Westwood began to attend ever-increasing numbers of "Pompey" matches. As his commitment grew, so too did his range of Portsmouth F.C themed accessories. In 1994 he changed his name, by deed poll, from J.A. Westwood to J.P.F.C. Westwood. Despite his large size and deafening exhortations,[2] Westwood is regarded by most fans as a symbol of passionate but non-violent commitment to his chosen team. He was even chosen to be one of the featured people in the BBC's "One Nation" Series. Since his father's death he has taken over the family business.[3][4] In 2007 Westwood wrote a book, unsurprisingly called "The true Pompey Fan's Miscellany[5]. He also features on the cover of Chuck Culpepper's "Up Pompey", an American's take on the fans of the English Premier League[6] Westwood can be clearly heard ringing a bell, to represent the "Pompey Chimes", almost continuously throughout Portsmouth matches - even on television coverage. Some spectators find this irritating.[7] Amongst a section of fans John has become known as 'Nobby Portsmouth', a name that was coined in a Middlesbrough fanzine for the Middlesbrough-Portsmouth game in October 2005. An online community, the Nobby Portsmouth Appreciation Society, has been established on Facebook dedicated to celebrating the clownlike antics of John.[8]
John has also appeared on Sky's Premier League Allstars, playing for Portsmouth.
Quotes
It's a bit Jekyll and Hyde. When I go to a local book fair, I cover up my tattoos and put on a suit. But more often than not, I end up talking to the book dealers about Pompey and it turns out they've got more tattoos than I have.[9]
References
- ^ Milan backs Westwood against away bans Portsmouth Today, 18 September 2003
- ^ The Fans - Fans agree to disagree thisisthesaints.co.uk
- ^ Frank Westwood Owner of the Petersfield Bookshop The Book Guide
- ^ The Petersfield Bookshop ILAB
- ^ Hove, Pennant ISBN 9780955039485
- ^ London, Weidenfield and Nicolson,2007 ISBN 0753824124
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ Up Pompey The Observer, 3 August 2003
