Chris Wise reacts to ‘phenomenal’ Portsmouth announcement
Portsmouth’s off-season between May and August isn’t just for arranging transfers and player recuperation.
Many Premier League and Football League clubs take the opportunity to host testimonials and charity matches to raise money for good causes.
These events often give fans the opportunity to mingle with first-team stars, former players and football legends.
And that’s exactly what happened at Fratton Park earlier this month.
Success of Alan Knight charity event revealed
On 5 May, a Pompey Legends v Alan Knight XI took place at Fratton Park in front of more than 6,000 fans.
The event was arranged by former Portsmouth goalkeeper Alan Knight to raise money for prostate cancer charities.
Former Pompey stars Michael Doyle, Gareth Evans, Martin Kuhl and Svetoslav Todorov were among those to take part.
Fans who attended the game were also given the opportunity to take a PSA (prostate specific antigen) blood test. These tests can help detect prostate cancer early, when it is most treatable.
Knight was sadly diagnosed with prostate cancer back in October 2024.
Now, it has been revealed that the event raised almost £40,000 for prostate cancer charities.
The achievement was praised by many X users, including BBC journalist Chris Wise, who called it “phenomenal”.
“A special day for a special guy,” he added.
Knight continues to cement his legacy as Pompey legend
Alan Knight already cemented his status as a Pompey legend during his playing career. The goalkeeper made 801 appearances for Portsmouth across four decades.
He signed his first professional contract with The Blues in 1979 and played his last game in 2000. That makes him the second-longest-serving Portsmouth player behind Jimmy Dickinson.
| Alan Knight Statistics | |
| Signed First Contract | 12 March 1979 |
| Final Game | 3 January 2000 |
| Total Appearances | 801 |
Knight was always busy with community and charity projects as a player, and was awarded an MBE for these efforts back in 2001. He was also awarded Freedom of The City earlier this month. A well-deserved honour.
It’s heart-warming to hear that his latest charity event was so successful in raising money and awareness for prostate cancer charities, as Portsmouth prepare for a new season.
The club has also created a JustGiving page for fans who want to continue to support these good causes.
Here at Pompey News, we wish Knight all the best in his battle against prostate cancer.