'A true representation of Portsmouth supporters': Praise for Fratton faithful after stunning fundraising effort for tragic Charlton man

The man behind the remarkable fundraising campaign launched in aid of tragic Charlton fan Norman Barker insists he is ‘proud’ of the Fratton faithful.

And he is grateful that the true nature of Pompey fans and their impressive generosity of spirit has come to the forefront, rather than being judged on the actions of a small minority whose behaviour at The Valley tarnished the club’s fine name.

Craig New and a number of his friends decided to create a GoFundMe page after attending Saturday’s fixture, which was abandoned after 12 minutes of play following the death of the hugely-popular Barker.

Since its launch on Sunday afternoon, more than £6,600 has been donated by Blues followers in memory of the late Addicks fan, who was initially taken ill in the Covered End stand during the game.

That outstanding total was amassed through 550 different contributors, including £450 from Blues board member and co-owner Eric Eisner, totalled over two donations.

And New has praised the classy Pompey family for stepping forward to help.

‘It was horrible reading those comments about Portsmouth fans’

The Fratton End regular from Christchurch, Dorset, told The News: ‘This was a group effort, a lot of conversations were had in our WhatsApp group, I was just the person who opened the account and got it going.

‘The idea started when coming back on the train from Waterloo. I was scrolling through social media and it was so disappointing seeing so many comments coming from everywhere about how bad we are as a fanbase - and it was hard to swallow.

‘I kept reading and putting my phone down, telling myself “Stop reading it, stop reading it”. Then I’d pick it up and see more bad comments. It was horrible.

‘What was being said wasn’t really accurate and didn’t represent the club and the fans. We were being judged on a minority in the away end at Charlton.

‘When I say minority, it was probably 30-40 lads aged 15-17 in the middle of the stand. I remember one guy in front of us telling them to shut up. Others did too. I also saw about five or six broken seats, including one being carried out of the ground by a lad who was told to chuck it on the floor.

‘So, on the Sunday, a few of us suggested it might be a good idea to try to raise some money. It was the natural thing to do considering somebody had died at our game.

‘What’s more, I didn’t like how we were being portrayed as a group of supporters, that didn't sit very well with me.

‘We knew that, if we got it across to the right people, a fundraiser could take off, but I certainly didn’t expect the amount we have subsequently reached. It was above my expectations.

‘When something like that happens, it’s the wider picture, football comes second to life - and I am proud of our fans.’

It represents a hugely successful first crowdfunding project launched by the 47-year-old, who is a renewable business manager.

He has since been contacted by Heather McKinlay from the Charlton Athletic Supporters Trust, with dialogue ongoing as to how best utilise the money raised.

Pompey fan: You couldn’t hear anything from their PA system

Meanwhile, New has moved to clarify what happened in the away end on Saturday, including visiting supporters being unable to hear the club announcements over the ongoing medical emergency.

He added: ‘Bearing in mind the Pompey end on an away day is normally quite raucous, you couldn’t hear anything from the PA system. We only realised it was abandoned after noticing Charlton fans leaving their seats.

‘We were in line with the end where Norman was receiving treatment, you could see it, but unfortunately we couldn’t hear the official club updates.

‘Someone later claimed Pompey fans at the train station were chanting “Let him die”. Well, I was at the station and that never happened at any point. I’m not sure where that has come from.

‘In fact, as soon as we realised the guy had passed away, it was a sombre journey back.’

To contribute to the Norman Barker fundraiser, visit https://tinyurl.com/ywwe6vhn

Your Next Pompey Read: Pompey boss’ no-nonsense demand as patience wears thin with injury-hit duo