Portsmouth stadium visit stirs memories for fan with dementia

A football fan with dementia has returned to the stadium where he saw a record-breaking match as a boy.

Portsmouth FC's FA Cup victory over Derby County in 1949 was watched by 51,385 spectators - the biggest-ever crowd at Fratton Park.

Seventy-five years later, Colin Snook remembers the game fondly, despite his deteriorating mental health.

His family has rekindled memories with a stadium tour and tickets for a vital rematch between the sides on Tuesday.

Mr Snook, a Pompey fan who now lives in Solihull, recalled sitting against a wall in "boiling" temperatures to watch his side's two-one win when he was 12 years old.

"I used to come here with my dad and all his uncles," he said. "It was a treat every fortnight."

Portsmouth went on to win the league that season, although they were knocked out of the FA Cup in the semi-finals.

Pompey and Derby, who meet again next week, are currently first and second respectively in the League One table.

Colin's son Stewart Snook said: "It's emotional [seeing his memory slipping away], but he's always talking about the game.

"It's like, 'Have I told you about the game?'. It's something that just keeps us bonded. It's difficult but football seems to bring everyone together."

Another son, Martin Snook, said: "We're all passionate about Portsmouth and it's just something that's very special to us. This has lifted him so high."

Colin Snook described his return to the stadium with his sons and brother Alan as "absolutely brilliant".

A former fire officer, he completed a year-long charity walk around the coast of Britain at the age of 72.

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