Crouch, Mendes, Yakubu: Portsmouth players past and present pay tribute to Fratton 'legend'
Pompey players past and present pay tribute to Fratton Park ‘legend’.
Pompey players past and present have united on social media to pay tribute to long-serving Fratton stalwart Kev McCormack.
The 59-year-old is set to retire this summer, with his final game in the dugout coming against Birmingham City on May 2.
McCormack has been an instantly-recognisable figure at Fratton Park following his appointment as kitman under Alan Ball in May 1999.
Since then, the former Royal Marine and ABA Championship-winning boxer has served under 19 managers and seen hundreds of players come and go through times of significant change on the south coast.
And members of John Mousinho’s current squad, along with favourites of old, have taken to social media to pay tribute to McCormack and share some memorable stories.
Here’s the best of the reaction from X and Instagram.
Pompey players past and present praise Fratton Park ‘legend’
@petercrouch (X): This man is a legend. Enjoy your retirement Kev. Well deserved.
@harveyablair7 (X): The Goat.
Aiden O’Brien: Mr Pompey himself! Go easy mate you will be missed at that football club that’s for sure.
Hayden Matthews: One of a kind.
Marlon Pack: Legend.
Johnny Ertl: The best kit man I've ever had. When I introduced Kev to my future wife, he said: “Johnny, you punched above your weight.” He was right of course and I have been using this quote ever since.
A man who gave everything for the club. With a lot of dedication and love. He has seen it all, My kidney still hurts from some fights about new shorts and socks.
Gareth Evans: One of the very best people I know. Some service Kev, congratulations!
Pedro Mendes: Big Kev.
David James: Legend.
Yakubu Ayegbeni: The big Kev, all the best buddy.
David Forde: The OG kitman. The real engine behind it all! Every club talks about players, managers, tactics but the kitman is the axle that keeps the whole wheel turning. And you, my friend, are one of the very best.
From having everything ready without a word, to keeping standards high day in, day out, it never goes unnoticed. The dressing room ran smoother because of you, even if most don’t see it.
Top man, top professional and an even better person. Thanks for everything Kev, absolute legend.
Shaka Hislop: Truly the end of an era!
David Norris: Absolute legend of a guy!
Shaun Derry: What a man BigKev is, a true legend! I’ll never forget witnessing him carry a massive sofa up a ladder on his own to get to Crouchy’s flat on the first floor.
Every day he’d punch me in the stomach at the training ground, he was so strong! But deep down he is a gentle giant who loves the players and Pompey in particular.
What a loss to a great club. There’s only 1 Big Kev!!
Svetoslav Todorov: Thanks for everything Big Kev.
Deon Burton: Enjoy retirement mate. What a guy Big Kev.
Milan Lalkovic: Legend.
Jack Compton: Big Kev. Happy retirement. Will always be a legend.
Paul Downing: A top bloke who always went the extra yard for the players and made them feel welcome.
Ricardo Rocha: Big Kev is a legend.
Greg Halford: What a legend.
Kevin Harper: Enjoy big man, your a legend.