Legend Linvoy Retires

Last updated : 08 December 2009 By Jim Bonner
Linvoy Primus has been forced to retire from football at the age of 36 because of a persistent knee injury. He will still stay at Portsmouth as club ambassador.

This is sad news no matter how predictable it was and I'm disappointed that we won't be able to give him the proper send off he deserved.

Linvoy was my favourite Pompey player of all time for his commitment to Pompey, his work off the pitch and for simply being one of the nicest, most genuine characters in sport that had time for anyone.

Linvoy was signed by Tony Pulis all the way back in the summer of 2000 and had a nightmare debut, scoring an own goal at Bramall Lane in a 2-0 defeat to Sheffield United.

After a long term injury, he managed to force his way back into the side and despite Harry Redknapp considering him not to be good enough for what was then Division One, he featured regularly in Pompey's Championship winning season. He also won Pompey's player of the year and the Division One PFA player of the year for 2003.

With Redknapp bringing the likes of Boris Zivkovic and Dejan Stefanovic to Pompey for their first Premiership season, Linvoy once again had to prove the manager wrong and once again managed to become a mainstay in the team come the end of the season.

Having proven himself as a capable Premiership defender, he then went to form a rock solid defensive partnership with Sol Campbell during the 06/07 season but unfortunately injured his knee after the season ended.

Primus would then only make one more appearance for the club after a loan spell at Charlton last season. That came as a substitute against Sunderland when Fratton Park gave him a standing ovation when he came on and every touch of the ball was loudly cheered by the Pompey fans.

So after 198 appearances and five goals for Pompey, Linvoy has hung up his boots to think about his knee in the long term. He'll always be remembered as a Pompey great and I'm sure he has plenty to offer the club off-the-pitch too.

Thanks for everything, Linvoy.