Not many club chairmen regularly have their names chanted by adoring supporters at every home match, but Milan Mandaric could almost take such adoration for granted during his time in charge at Fratton Park.

Fans recognised that Mandaric had put more than £25 million and thousands of hours into Portsmouth – he regularly referred to them as “my beloved club” before selling to Alexandre Gaydamak last year for an estimated £32 million – in a quest for top-flight football, which Harry Redknapp finally delivered. They will be sorry that both men were helping police with their inquiries yesterday.

Mandaric, a Serb, was born in what is now Croatia and grew up in Novi Sad, Vojvodina. Having built a successful car spares business in communist Yugoslavia, he was in danger of becoming too successful a capitalist for his own good, even under Marshal Tito’s more liberal interpretation of communism. His answer was to leave for Switzerland and then the United States, and turn his hand to computer components. Within five years, his company was the largest manufacturer of computer components in the US.

He was also interested in football and bought the San Jose Earthquakes of the NASL, a club he bankrolled for seven years, bringing George Best to California for two seasons. However, he regarded European football as having more of a long-term future and in 1986 he bought a 50 per cent share in Standard Liège, the Belgian side, but withdrew when he was unable to acquire a controlling interest.

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Background

• Police arrest Redknapp over dealings

• Whispers will not go away for wheeler-dealer

• Newell left on a road to nowhere

• Mandaric will ''offer full support' to police

Background

• Fans’ chants for Mandaric silenced

• Former bookie who knew value of being the middleman

• Faye gets caught in Redknapp’s net

• Old pals that survived Upton Park fallout

Background

• Police moves highlight FA resources shortfall

• How events unfolded

Mandaric then became involved in the American Indoor League, but Europe still called. His next purchase was Nice, in the French league. He sold them in 1998 and turned his attention to England. He had once remarked of the failure of the NASL that “you can’t purchase tradition”. In Britain, tradition was not in short supply, but he was looking for a club with potential.

He considered Charlton Athletic and Manchester City, but both were in the shadow of established clubs, so he settled on Portsmouth – £4.5 million in debt – to whom he had been introduced by Preki, the former Portsmouth and Yugoslavia player. He poured in money and hired and fired a succession of managers, including Tony Pulis and Steve Claridge, a local hero, before hitting the jackpot with Redknapp, whom he promoted from director of football to succeed Graham Rix.

Redknapp delivered promotion in his first full season, 2002-03, but fell out with the chairman and decamped to Southampton after Mandaric installed Velimir Zajec as executive director. Mandaric stated that his reason for bringing in Zajec was that the club had no structure below Redknapp’s collection of players from around the globe and that he was tired of paying agents’ fees on short-term signings. Redknapp chose to take it as unsupportable interference in his activities.

Later, Mandaric published a statement that said: “Our former manager Harry Redknapp selected the players he wished to bring to the club. My chief executive, Peter Storrie, with my help, negotiates the actual transfer and agents’ fees, along with players’ contracts, and I approve every transaction. Harry was never involved at any time in any transfer or contract negotiation throughout his period at the club.”

But Mandaric persuaded Redknapp to return as manager when Alain Perrin, his successor, looked likely to oversee relegation. They continued to sing Mandaric’s name at Fratton throughout, the chants reaching their loudest at his farewell match as chairman in September last year. They’re not singing any more . . .

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