Redknapp Booed At Freedom Ceremony

Last updated : 28 October 2008 By Jim Bonner
Harry Redknapp was jeered by angry Pompey fans on his return to the city as he and the FA Cup winning team were given the freedom of Portsmouth today.

Fans jeered the former Pompey manager as he received his accolade in the Guildhall with one fan shouting "Get off the stage!" with many others branding him a "Judas" after his defection to Tottenham.

Harry was relatively humble when making his speech and tried to fan the flames by saying:

"It's a great honour to receive this award, but I was only a member of a team. The fans are absolutely fantastic, but, most importantly, we assembled an amazing football team. I really do appreciate everyone turning up today and being so kind."

After that Redknapp, Sol Campbell and the rest of the FA Cup winning side went up to claim their scrolls that proclaim their freedom of the city. Tony Adams was given huge cheers after being announced as the new Pompey boss today.

Hopefully that will be the end of the Redknapp hate for the time being. I've heard some very nasty stuff said about what people would do to him if they saw him now and how they wished that the coin thrown by the Villa fan did hit him.

That sort of talk sickens me and I'd like to think we can be more grown up about the whole situation because the people who spout out this nonsense are no better than the Villa fan who lobbed the coin or the Spurs fans that gave Sol Campbell that horrible abuse at Fratton Park.

Despite his disloyalty and dishonesty I can't bring myself to hate a man who brought has done so much for Portsmouth Football Club.

Yes, I am angry about the way he ditched us for a so-called "bigger" club who just happen to be lying at the bottom of the football league and the way he went about it so suddenly but we have to move on and give the new regime our full backing.

Unfortunately the media aren't going to let this one go in a hurry so all the current Pompey players can do is get their heads down and get those points on the board and see what happens in January.

It's time to leave Redknapp behind and look towards the future.