HARRY REDKNAPP
CLUBS
1965-72 West Ham
1972-76 Bournemouth
1976 Brentford
1976 Seattle Sounders
1976 AP Leamington
1977-79 Seattle Sounders
1980 Phoenix Fire
1982 Bournemouth
MANAGER
1983-92 Bournemouth
1994-2001 West Ham
2002-04 Portsmouth
2004-05 Southampton
2005-08 Portsmouth
2008-12 Tottenham
2012-15 QPR
2016 Jordan
2017 Birmingham
FFT has just rung the doorbell outside Harry Redknapp’s Dorset home, and it’s produced a familiar tune.
If Portsmouth’s relationship with their former manager has been complicated over the years, his love for them remains undiminished. The chimes of ‘Play Up Pompey’ are ringing out and soon he appears at the front door with a smile, welcoming us inside.
Harry has long lived on the exclusive peninsula of Sandbanks, just a few miles from Bournemouth, and when we enter the living room, we’re treated to a lovely sea view. On a summer’s morning like this, you could confuse it for the French Riviera, if it wasn’t for Barney the British bulldog prowling the back garden.
As wife Sandra offers us a drink, we can’t help notice a tiny plastic trophy sat incongruously in the corner of this stylish front room, with a green critter fixed to its base and the words, ‘Harry Redknapp: I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, 2018’.
“What is that?” Redknapp asks himself, reaching down to pick it up and inspect. “Never bleeding seen that in my life!”
The trophy is obviously not his most prized possession, but the reality show victory introduced the 72-year-old to a new audience last December. Before that, a highly eventful career in football management, which he’s ready to sit down and discuss…
How well did Lee Chapman take being substituted for a fan in a pre-season game for West Ham?
Jimmy Gray, Ilford
No, Lee wasn’t subbed, he wasn’t even there! We were playing Oxford City, and this West Ham fan was driving me mad. He kept saying, “Ain’t it about time you bought a striker this year, Redknapp – we ain’t got bleedin’ Chapman again, have we?” He just went on and on and on – he wouldn’t leave me alone. Then we had a few injuries, I had no subs left and I asked him, “Can you play?” He was shocked. I stuck him on in the second half and he played upfront. He was all right – he ran about and tried hard!
Which player kicked the ball that hit you mid-interview at Portsmouth?
Richard Way, via Twitter [] I don’t know! He was a young player, 20 or 21, a full-back, but I swear I don’t remember his name. [: Did you have another go at him after the interview had finished?] Nah, I didn’t bother. He was on his way out anyway, I think. It was my first season there, and he was one of the players who was already at the club. He was mad – I think he probably did it on purpose!
