Linvoy Primus

Linvoy Primus
MBE

Primus in 2009
Personal information
Full name	Linvoy Stephen Primus[1]
Date of birth	(1973-09-14) 14 September 1973 (age 50)[1]
Place of birth	Forest Gate, England
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[2]
Position(s)	Defender
Youth career
1990–1992	Charlton Athletic
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1992–1994	Charlton Athletic	4	(0)
1994–1997	Barnet	127	(7)
1997–2000	Reading	94	(1)
2000–2009	Portsmouth	198	(5)
2008	→ Charlton Athletic (loan)	10	(1)
Total		433	(14)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Linvoy Stephen Primus MBE (born 14 September 1973) is an English former professional footballer who played as a defender.

Born in Forest Gate, England, to Caribbean-born parents, Primus began his professional career at Charlton Athletic, where he made four league appearances. Primus moved on a free transfer to Barnet and established himself as a first team regular in the lower divisions of English football before earning a £250,000 transfer to Reading.

A Bosman transfer to Portsmouth followed after three successful seasons at the Berkshire-based club. Initially, Primus struggled to break into the team and had his progress hindered by injuries. But the 2002–03 season signaled a change in direction as Primus broke into the first team and won Portsmouth fan's player of the season as well as the PFA Fans' Player of the Year for his division. For the next three seasons Primus was in and out of the first team and worked under three managers: Harry Redknapp, Velimir Zajec and Alain Perrin. The 2006–07 season was the last injury-free season for Primus as a career-threatening knee injury meant he would not make an appearance the following season. Primus went out on loan to former club Charlton and made 10 appearances and one further appearance for Portsmouth before retiring through injury in December 2009. The Milton End stand at Fratton Park was renamed the 'Linvoy Primus Community Stand' because of his outstanding services to the club.

Primus, who is married and has three children, is known for his Christian charity work. He is involved in the Christian charity 'Faith & Football' and walked the Great Wall of China to raise £100,000 for their cause. Other charitable causes he has been involved in are the Alpha course, a cinema advertisement about Christianity and the formation of a prayer group at Portsmouth. In 2007, he released his autobiography, titled Transformed, which details his conversion to Christianity.