Catlin delight at Pompey feel-good factor

Mark Catlin has toasted the Pompey feel-good factor which has gripped the city.
Pompey chief executive Mark CatlinPompey chief executive Mark Catlin
Pompey chief executive Mark Catlin

The club are reporting bumper season ticket sales and a leap in corporate and hospitality receipts this summer.

What’s more, with seven weeks to go until the Blues’ August 3 kick-off, numbers are going to rise even further.

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It is testament to the environment created by the Pompey Supporters’ Trust and presidents since taking over the club on April 19.

The entrance of the new ownership has reinvigorated both Pompey and their followers.

In addition, new permanent boss Guy Whittingham has so far recruited 13 players for his squad.

And Catlin believes the Fratton faithful are brimming with optimism.

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Pompey’s chief executive said: ‘The team at this club have generated that feel-good factor.

‘I get into a taxi and the first thing I say is “are you a Pompey fan?” and they say “yes, it’s brilliant what is going on”.

‘If that is a straw poll – and taxi drivers normally are a pretty good gauge of opinion – then I am delighted.

‘I have got about 10 taxis in the past two weeks and every one of them are Pompey fans.

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‘They are talking about getting a season ticket or they have already renewed but they all say there is a general air of excitement about the club at the minute.

‘It is not always going to be that way, I have been around football long enough to know there is going to come a sticky period for us.

‘But because our level of goodwill is so high, I think as a business we are going to be quite robust now.

‘If we do go through a bad period for whatever reason – and I don’t see anything on the horizon – I think we have built up a lot of goodwill that will carry us through.’