8 SPORTS MAIL portsmouth.co.uk Saturday, February 6, 2016 SPORTS MAIL Shrimps revenge was tough TRUST MATTERS to stomach but the fantastic four can still propel Pompey Six key objectives to to automatic promotion goal TEENAGE KICKS with Ben Sturt

Hi fellow Pompey fans, my name is Ben Sturt. I’m 16 years old and I’ve been a keep PST on track as season-ticket holder in the Fratton end for as long as I can remember. I am also the youngest member of the Pompey Supporters’ Trust youth committee, which tackles evolution is targeted all issues that may concern younger Pompey fans. I hope you enjoy my weekly by JOHNNY ERTL column in the Sports Mail, e-mail: [email protected] describing the goings on at Twitter: @JohnnyErtl our club through the eyes of a younger supporter. s we look to evolve, the Pompey Supporters’ Trust (PST) has six here are not many Ben Sturt reckons Gary Roberts Aspecific objectives for 2016. more depressing will be Pompey’s catalyst One of those is to increase the Tfeelings in football number of members we have (more than conceding a last- What Pompey need now is on that later), so if you’re not already minute goal. a run of wins. a member you can help make a I had got home from a We haven’t won more difference straight away by signing shift at work to tune in for than two games in a row all up to support the work we do! the second half of Pompey’s season. Here are our other five aims: League Two game at That has halted any Morecambe. momentum we have 1. Community And I had just sat down gathered – and it has to To be the driving force behind for dinner when Barry change. ‘Community Pompey’ and to become Roche, the Shrimpers Until the Oxford game, I was always adamant a more active partner in community Join the Pompey Supporters’ Trust for just £5 by visiting pompeytrust.com PICTURE: JOE PEPLER goalkeeper, nodded home a projects. corner to secure a point for Pompey would still win the I would like, this week, to focus on below. I can’t wait to spend some Jim Bentley’s side. league. 2. Next Generations our Next Generations group. time with them because I am really Revenge, you could However, that opinion To reach out, engage with and attract I said when I started with the eager to help them make a difference. changed at 4.45pm on that in more fans of the future through our argue, for Jayden Stockley’s Trust, I wanted to re-energise the When we have diversity across last-minute equaliser in Saturday afternoon. newly-formed Next Generations group. youth commitee and engage with a group, it makes life much easier For the first time this This is a group of younger the reverse fixture – when the next generation – the younger because we don’t always know what season, I saw a team who supporters created specifically to Morecambe were the better Pompey fans. 16 to 25-year-olds are thinking. were better than us. listen to the needs of those Pompey side and probably deserved At a meeting I was shocked to find They bring a different perspective I would now tip the U’s to fans under the age of 25. all three points at Fratton out that 67 per cent of Pompey fans, and ambitions. Park. go on and win League Two 3. The Academy so two-thirds, are aged 45-plus. We look forward to having them on If I felt bad for the next this season. To help fund and support our home- Simply put, we want our future board and hopefully you will join in couple of days, I cannot As for the other three grown footballing talent. fans to keep filling out Fratton Park. the fun, too. begin to imagine how the teams above us – Bristol The Next Generations group was the By becoming a member of the PST, 479 Pompey fans who Rovers, Plymouth Argyle 4) The Stadium brainchild of our previous chairman you can have a say in shaping some of and Northampton Town – To be active participants in the travelled up north for the Ken Malley, who sadly died last the key decisions that will impact our they have all got to come to discussion and decisions on the future rearranged fixture felt. year but Scott McLachlan has done club in the coming years. Fratton Park. of Fratton Park. But to coin a phrase used brilliantly to get it up and running. It is only a fiver to join us and often by Paul Cook, you just I think the key to our 5) New Investment We are really happy with that. The before you know it you will be part of keep going. success this year will To investigate and propose new ways guys are already on Twitter – the biggest supporter-owned club in Prior to today’s match depend on whether our of raising finance to help ensure @PSTNextGen – and have a lot of fun the Football League. with Leyton Orient, Pompey front four players can stay the long-term sustainability of things planned, which John Kimbell I’ll be back soon to keep you all had 19 games left to secure a injury-free and complement Portsmouth Football Club. will give you a taste of in his column updated with more of our goings-on. place in League One. each other more fluently. Personally, I believe the Those four players are odds are in our favour. Gareth Evans, Gary Roberts, We have got games in Kyle Bennett and Marc Fifa at Fratton shows the future is bright hand on the teams above McNulty. I still think Roberts is not THE TRUST welcomed two yourselves first hand. We pleased to help out in any us and we still have to play many of the other fully fit but match fitness new members to its ranks by JOHN KIMBELL were delighted to have way possible. promotion chasers at will only come with game this week after manager e-mail: [email protected] popular video game Fifa The great news for all of Fratton Park. time. Paul Cook and first-team Twitter: @MrKimbell 16 bring their mobile our new younger members However, you are not It’s worth remembering coach Ian Foster signed up you all about in the article gaming centre, the ‘EA who enjoyed themselves guaranteed three points he was named League for annual membership. above) and working with Sports Dugout’ down to the this afternoon, is we are from your games in hand – Two player of the year Cook signing up kicks off EA Sports to try to attract ground before kick-off. planning to put on a player as we saw on Tuesday night when Chesterfield were a concerted effort by our more younger fans to Thankfully for us, Fifa v member tournament at the Globe Arena. promoted, so he can be our board for new members, Fratton Park. 16’s product marketing at the training ground on And you do not always win catalyst, too. which includes the launch Hopefully those of you manager, James Salmon, is Thursday, April 7. the games you need to win If those players hit form, of the ‘Next Generations’ who went to today’s game a big Pompey fan. Keep your eyes peeled for – as we saw against Michael then I would back us to beat group (Johnny has told will have seen that for And he was only to more information on that! Appleton’s Oxford United our rivals and get promoted last month. automatically.