Ty Europe were the sponsors of Portsmouth Football Club from 2002 until their demise (and ultimate replacement by Ty UK) at the end of the 2004/05 football season, at which point Portsmouth FC found new sponsors. The Ty logo appeared on the shirts of the players and all around the ground. There have been Beanies and Beanie Boppers related to the Football Club.
Pompey was nearly one of the most exclusive 'generally' available Beanies ever. Introduced in Autumn 2002 Pompey is named for the nickname of Portsmouth Football Club - the popular chant around the ground being the Pompey Chimes "Play Up Pompey, Play Up Pompey" (which is the 'poem' inside Pompey's tag!). Ty Europe had only recently become the shirt sponsors of Portsmouth FC, and as soon as the sponsorship deal was announced the Beanie world began to wonder what Ty products might become available!
The announcement of Pompey was accompanied by the news that he would only be available to personal callers at the club's merchandise shop (at Fratton Park Football ground, on the English South Coast). Available to personal callers, and limited to one per person.
Pre-sales and auctions sprung into action. The price of Pompey climbed (rather predictably). Then came the news that Pompey could be ordered on the internet. One per customer, but it did save a trip to the South Coast! The club's web shop all but collapsed under the unexpected demand. Orders were halted. Tales started to circulate of lengthy waits for delivery of the bear. Little by little the bear began to arrive. The website started taking orders again. In January 2003 a new delivery appeared to have been made. News came out that Pompey was no longer limited to one per customer.
Next came the startling news that Pompey wasn't only available at the Club shop. Sightings were reported at retailers in the Hampshire area. Finally, in Spring 2003 news started circulating that Pompey was being included in May deliveries to retailers up and down the UK.
Understandably there were some mutterings in the Beanie community. Money (quite a lot of money) had exchanged hands, trades had been made; for what was ultimately turning out not to be so rare. To be fair, Pompey was never billed as anything other than a "European Exclusive", but as with so many other exclusive Beanies - you never can tell just how hard to find they are going to be!
Pompey was followed by Premier a bear celebrating Portsmouth FC's promotion to the Premiership, the highest league in English football. His champagne colour matched the colour of the club's change strip at the time (just as Pompey's colour matched the team's home kit).
The latest (and as it turned out last) in the family of Portsmouth football club Beanies is P.F.C (which stands for Portsmouth Football Club!) - a white seated bear. Available from the club shop in late 2004 this bear caused quite a stir. First day sales could be purchased in a box with a certificate signed by Milan Mandric the chairman of Portsmouth Football Club. The bear appeared on the Club's website; and almost immediately sold out - to be replaced (much to the frustration of collectors) by a notice asking shoppers not to ring or e-mail and assuring buyers that the bear would be available again... which of course he was.
The bankruptcy of Ty Europe and the end of the sponsorship deal with Portsmouth F.C. means that the family of bears is now complete.
