There is a Pompey fan who refuses to eat Walker’s crisps. This policy, well-known amongst Northern Blues, was reported in Steve Bone’s Sports Mail column a couple of weeks ago, so you may need a pinch of salt, but it seems plausible. It is an example of how football impacts on daily life. For this most loyal Pompey fan no simple flavour choices at the bar, but the need to know who makes the product. The reason he decided this goes back to the early 1990s when Pompey played possibly the most entertaining football they had ever done before or since.

It was the year after the penalty debacle at Villa Park in the FA Cup semi-final replay with Liverpool. Darren Anderton’s career was in free fall after his transfer to Spurs and a career playing for England beckoning, when Jim Smith took Pompey on tour wowing the nation with flowing football and goals, goals, goals. Yet we won nothing and here we find the root of our fellow Blue’s decision to shun Walker’s crisps.

Walker’s had sponsored Leicester City since 1986 and it was Leicester who dumped Pompey out of the First Division play-offs in 1993. It was a controversial result. The twelve men of Leicester completely outfoxed Pompey in the match at Fratton Park. Jim Smith had failed to spot that Leicester had a numerical advantage in the second leg. This meant Pompey only had eleven men on the pitch at any one time. It was a huge tactical error that Jim and his coaching staff regret to this day. To be fair not all the Leicester players were in yellow that night, as Roger Milford was a late pick and had to play in all black. And he came tooled up; he carried a whistle.

This Pompey fan did not cut Walker’s crisps from his life in a fit of pique as he is a fair man. If Pompey ever get beaten “fair and square” this man will be the first to say those very words. Sadly over the years he has had to say those very words far too often. No,  this decision has been thought through and a personal sacrifice has been made to mark the injustices of 19th May 1993.  In a manner that Gandhi would approve, this particular fan denies himself one of life’s pleasures in order to carry a beacon to mark that injustice.

You can see why he made his decision on this You Tube link Pompey vs Leicester 1993 Travesty

Before Steve Bone’s article, this modest personal crusade was known by only a few. Our hero quietly committed to this policy and has sustained it in pubs, clubs and bars throughout the football world. Not for him “Two pints of lager and a packet of crisps, please?” but “Two pints of lager and can you tell me what brand of crisps you’ve got, please?” Quite a mouthful, but a phrase he has trained himself to say word perfect at every opportunity.

Now the cat is out of the bag all Pompey fans will look differently at crisp choices.  When a prophet walks amongst us we learn. Comparing yourself with a prophet can often result in self-loathing and bitter regret that sworn commitment to Pompey has only ever been skin deep. Yes, count the grounds you have been to, wear the shirt, stay for the whole match, don’t miss a game for years on end, but is your love for Pompey constant? Do you really love Pompey and do you walk the true path? Well, if you haven’t given up Walker’s crisps you need to have a word with yourself.

However, brothers and sisters redemption is at hand. If you ever fall into temptation,  are taken by the hand of the beast that is PepsiCo and led to eat Walker’s crisps, you can save yourself one packet at a time. You can earn forgiveness for your weakness of faith by one simple action. How is this done? Just send the packet back to Leicester free of charge.

Walker’s say that by 2025 no plastic will be used in its packs, but in that time, at a rate of 11 million packets a day, tons of landfill waste will have been produced. More information can be found here People Are Posting Their Non-Recyclable Crisp Packets Back To … 

To show you really love Pompey give Walker’s the hurry up and help persuade them to change crisp packaging. Use the Walker’s free postal service address and save your Pompey soul. Every pack you send back will ensure that the injustices of 19th May 1993 will not be forgotten.

FREEPOST LE4 918. Leicester LE4 5ZY

Send back any pack without charge. All you need is a bit of sticky tape, a pen and a bit of paper to write the address* on and post it back to the city of Leicester.

*In an update from Royal Mail you are asked to use and envelope. This is the privatised service that was run by the Scot, Alan Crozier, who used to run the Premier League, so you decide BBC Leicester.

Alternatively you could follow the humble lead from the North and just stop buying Walker’s products.

CLP 23/09/2018CLP