Portsmouth Football Club will honour the late Alan Knight with a minute's silence before Saturday's Championship fixture against Cardiff City at Fratton Park. The club confirmed the tribute this week following the passing of the legendary figure, who served Pompey for more than half a century.
Knight's family requested the period of reflection, which will take place just before the 3pm kick-off. Supporters are being asked to take their seats by 2.55pm to participate. Wreaths will be laid on the pitch by family members and club chief executive Andrew Cullen. Portsmouth FC published the details of the commemorations on its official website.
How will the matchday tributes work?
A special edition of the matchday programme dedicated to Knight will be available for purchase from sellers around Fratton Park. Further commemorations will feature in the live matchday broadcast on Pompey+. The club has also made arrangements for fans to pay their respects in person or online.
Fans can sign a physical book of condolence in the Legends Lounge until 7pm on Friday. On Saturday, the book will be available in the FanZone before the match. For those unable to attend, an online book of condolence has been set up on the club's official website.
What is the current context for Portsmouth?
The emotional occasion comes during a challenging start to the Championship season for John Mousinho's side. Portsmouth currently sit 21st in the table with just three points from their opening four matches. Their recent form reads LLWL, and they have scored five goals while conceding eight for a -3 goal difference. They trail league leaders Swansea City by seven points.
The squad is also dealing with several injury absences. Connor Ogilvie, Franco Umeh, Jacob Farrell, Josh Murphy, Keshi Anderson, and Márk Kosznovszky are all currently sidelined. You can check the latest availability on the club's injuries page.
Where does this fixture fit in the schedule?
Saturday's match against Cardiff represents an important opportunity for Portsmouth to build momentum before a difficult away trip. Their next fixture sees them travel to face Charlton Athletic, who are currently third in the Championship, on September 12th. The full upcoming schedule is available on the fixtures page.
The current league standings show the scale of the task facing Pompey as they look to climb the table. This weekend's game at Fratton Park will now carry additional significance as the club community comes together in memory of one of its greatest servants. The final act of the pre-match ceremony will see the wreaths placed on the centre circle.
