Portsmouth pay their respects to former player and Spurs youngster Anton Walkes ahead of Fratton Park game against Exeter
Pompey have paid an emotional tribute to former player Anton Walkes who tragically died this week aged 25.
The club had a Blues shirt with his name and old number on it resting on a seat in the home dugout at Fratton Park.
Players, officials, club staff and fans at PO4 also paid their respects to the Spurs youth-team product with a minute’s applause before today’s League One game against Exeter. Black armbands were worn by both clubs.
The defender passed away on Thursday following a boating accident in Miami, South Florida.
He had been playing for Charlotte FC in the MLS’s Eastern Conference after leaving Fratton Park for Atlanta United in January 2020.
During two years with Pompey, Walkes made 66 appearances and scored three goals, demonstrating his flexibility by operating at right-back, left-back, centre-half and central midfield.
Spurs wore black armbands in memory of their former player during their Premier League game with Manchester City on Thursday night.
The north London outfit’s academy sides will also wear armbands for their fixtures this weekend after Walkes came through their youth ranks and made one appearance for the club.
Prior to today’s game at Fratton Park, Pompey players warmed up in t-shirts in memory of eight-year-old Blues fan Ace Rewcastle who sadly died while in holiday in Barbados.
The t-shirts read: ‘He’s one of our own’ on the front, with Ace’s name and age, 8, on the back.
Today’s game stopped on eight minutes as applause rang out inside Fratton Park in a mark of respect for the youngster.
A similar mark of respect was held on 50 minutes as well following the death of key former Portsmouth Supporters’ Trust member Steve McLenaghan following his death at the age of 52.