Local grassroots clubs have this week received an email from the Academy raising concerns over somebody wrongly claiming to represent the club.
According to the statement, the person has recently approached parents and coaches at grassroots games, using a Portsmouth FC staff ID card.
The man, who is described as wearing a Pompey kit and in his 60s, has told people he is working as a Pompey Academy scout and is a former Pompey Academy coach.
Pompey’s Academy, however, have insisted they ‘don’t employ any person with the name nor have any connections with the impersonator’.
The Blues are taking the incident extremely seriously, viewing it as a safeguarding issue, and have informed the Football Association.
The Academy have also advised coaches and parents that three members of Pompey’s Academy recruitment department are responsible for trial invitations – none of which include the individual.
Should anybody else approach claiming to represent Pompey’s Academy, the public have been asked not to engage with him or share personal information.
The statement emailed by Pompey’s Academy reads: ‘I would like to bring to your attention that we have recently been contacted by parents about a man impersonating themselves as a ‘Portsmouth FC academy scout’ and former ‘Portsmouth FC academy coach’.
‘The man has been appearing at grassroots games wearing ‘Portsmouth FC kit’ and is displaying a ‘Portsmouth FC staff ID card’ when approaching parents and coaches. He presents himself with a name and is described to be in his 60’s.
‘I would like to confirm that Portsmouth FC academy does not employ any person with the name nor have any connections with the impersonator. We are treating this as a serious safeguarding incident, but we are providing this information as a warning to grassroots clubs as the impersonator may plan to visit your clubs soon. Under no circumstances should people be presenting themselves as Portsmouth FC employees when they are not.
‘Portsmouth FC academy scouts are expected to wear Portsmouth FC kit and present their PFC scout ID card when attending games. However, Portsmouth FC academy scouts are clearly instructed to never promise or guarantee trials to players. Coaches of grassroots clubs should always be approached first by Portsmouth FC scouts if there is interest in a player, and permission must be granted by the coaches/club if the scout wishes to speak to the parent.
‘If your club, or a parent at your club, is promised a trial by someone who’s name is not on the list above, we strongly advise to not engage in any further conversation or share any personal details with them.
‘The safety of all of young children is paramount to Portsmouth FC, therefore we have reported the incident to the FA, but I also encourage you to contact me if you have any doubts about a person claiming to be a Portsmouth FC academy scout or if your club may (or already have) come across the impersonator that we have described in this email.’
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