Brighton's Jack Hinshelwood is a Pompey fan. Pic: GettyBrighton's Jack Hinshelwood is a Pompey fan. Pic: Getty
Brighton's Jack Hinshelwood is a Pompey fan. Pic: Getty | Getty Images
He’s put Liverpool and Spurs to the sword - but there’s a fishy tale about the team the Brighton prospect supports.
He’s emerging as one of the Premier League’s most exciting home-grown talents with his reputation soaring.
And the clamour for the hugely promising operator to be given his England chance is growing, off a powerful finish to the season which saw his standing reach new heights.
A winner against champions Liverpool was followed by a two-goal salvo on the final day against Europa League champions Spurs, a finish to the campaign which underlined Brighton’s Jack Hinshelwood fast-accelerating promise.
And it’s a burgeoning career which has taken inspiration from Fratton Park, for the midfielder who grew up as a Pompey fan.
In fact, Hinshelwood was so keen on the Blues as a youngster he named his goldfish after two of his idols from the Premier League era!
David James and Niko Kranjcar were the subjects of the 20-year-old’s affections, as a regular visitor to Fratton Park growing up.
That led to Hinshelwood’s aquatic friends being named in honour of the pair - a fact revealed by the Pompey follower on his current club’s TV channel in a light-hearted quiz.
Contestants had to work out true and false facts on players in a similar fashion to panel show Would I Lie To You?, with Hinshelwood’s fishy tale causing plenty of mirth.
He said: 'I had two goldfish, one called Niko Kranjcar and David James.
‘I gave them their names, because I used to follow Pompey and I’d go and watch a few games.
‘They were my two favourites. They are unfortunately not with us today, Niko and David sadly passed away a few years ago - the fish that is!’
The Hinshelwood football dynasty has established ties with PO4, with Jack the son of former Brighton defender Adam Hinshelwood who made 100 appearances for the Seagulls.
It’s his brother Danny Pompey fans may be familiar with, after making five senior appearances for the club in the 90s.
After coming through the ranks at Nottingham Forest the defender registered five league appearances in the 1995-96 campaign, under Terry Fenwick in English football’s second tier.
He went on to turn out for Torquay, Brighton, Bognor and Hawks in a playing career which ended in 2009.
Martin Hinshelwood spent four years at Pompey as reserve and youth team coach between 1994 and 1998 with Fenwick and Jim Smith.
The 71-year-old then came back to Fratton Park as chief scout in 2014 with his contacts respected in the game and particularly across the south coast and Sussex.
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