Pompey fans up in arms after a social media post
POMPEY supporters reacted furiously to a fan criticising the club's new Wall of Fame in a Tweet which included a picture of Hitler.
The Pompey Supporters’ Trust unveiled the tribute wall at Fratton Park before Saturday’s 0-0 draw against Hartlepool thanking the 2,460 fans who helped save the club from liquidation.
But when The News’ chief sports writer, Neil Allen, posted a picture of the unveiling on Twitter, fan Joe Michalczuk replied with a photo of Neville Chamberlain meeting Hitler in 1939, as well as waving the Munich Agreement.
The agreement allowed the Nazis to annex part of Czechoslovakia, on condition they did not invade other parts of Europe and would try to settle differences with consultation. This was later ridiculed as being worthless.
Mr Michalczuk, a film and TV critic and Pompey season ticket holder, said he posted it because he believed fans were sold a lie by the Trust.
But members have branded him ‘daft’ and ‘ridiculous’.
Scott McLachlan, Trust board member, said: ‘Pompey would be a piece of history if it wasn’t for the people who donated money.
‘They put in a lot of money and the supporters finished it off. He is daft and a ridiculous man.
‘He tried to insult several people when we used to be outside Fratton Park on a bus trying to get people to invest.
‘If it wasn’t for the supporters, he wouldn’t have a club to support and harp on about.’
Pam Wilkins, vice chairwoman of Pompey Supporters’ Trust, said: ‘I know that if the presidents, the Trust and the supporters had not given donations then the club would have gone into liquidation.
‘No buyer ever came in with the money.’
Mr Michalczuk has claimed his Tweet was blown out of proportion.
He said: ‘It’s made out that the fans have saved the club but they blatantly have not because there were other investors willing to buy Pompey.
‘It wasn’t about Hitler – I used Neville Chamberlain because he came back with a lie saying he secured peace for Europe.
‘I do not agree with fan ownership. There is no hope of this fan model working in League One or the Championship.
‘That is why we’ve been stuck in League Two for the last four years.’
Mr Michalczuk also made it clear he was not a Nazi sympathiser.