Fratton Park
Encyclopedia
Fratton Park is a football stadium in the English city-port of Portsmouth
. It has been the home of professional club Portsmouth F.C.
since its construction in 1898.
several renovations were made to Fratton Park, including improved dressing rooms, the above-mentioned roof over the Milton end and a big-screen above the police box between the North Stand and Milton End. The North Stand was refreshed for the 2010/2011 season with renewed sponsorship by Mercedes-Benz (Ridgeway Group) which replaced the "Fratton Park Portsmouth" and the club crest.
The stadium is served by Fratton railway station
(about 10 minutes' walk away), which is located on the Portsmouth Direct Line
.
Ridgeway Group North Stand
Milton End (Known as the Linvoy Primus Community Stand for 2010/11 Season)
South Stand
The Jobsite Fratton End Stand
, whose company also built an ornate pavilion (similar to Craven Cottage
) complete with clocktower. However, these were largely removed with the expansion of the ground.
The first match at Fratton Park was a friendly against local rivals Southampton
, which was won 2–0, with goals from Dan Cunliffe
(formerly with Liverpool
) and Harold Clarke (formerly with Everton
).
Fratton Park hosted a first-round football game in the 1948 Summer Olympics
(one of only two grounds outside London, the other being the now disappeared Goldstone Ground
). It hosted one full England
international match on 2 March 1903 against Wales
and has also hosted some England U-21 internationals. Pompey was the first club to stage a Football League match under floodlights, in a 22 February 1956 game against Newcastle United. New floodlight towers were constructed in 1962.
Fratton Park was (until the addition of Blackpool's Bloomfield Road to the Premier League in 2010 and Portsmouth's own relegation to the Championship) the football ground with the lowest maximum capacity in the Premier League. However, it has held 51,385 for an FA Cup match against Derby County in 1949. The capacity has in recent years been much reduced by the introduction of compulsory seating.
The ground has been home to the club throughout its entire history. The old stadium has been refurbished and repaired, but the current facilities are showing signs of age by comparison to clubs in the Premier League that have either built a new stadium or significantly redeveloped existing facilities, along modern, less working-class lines, abolishing traditional features, which, however, have so far been preserved at Fratton Park, despite relocation being suggested as long ago as the early 1990s.
At the end of the 2003/04 season, the club having survived its first season in the Premier League, plans were developed to build a new stadium on the site of an adjacent disused rail-freight depot. These plans, which were supported by the City Council, would also have allowed a much needed increase in ground capacity, but it was claimed that it would be impossible to achieve on the current footprint because of the close proximity of residential housing.
Before work could begin, however, the plans were superseded by a new proposal to redevelop more or less on the existing site, but realigning the pitch 90 degrees to accommodate a larger capacity stadium, funded in part by a "Pompey Village" residential, hotel and retail project on the adjacent site. Work on the stadium was due to commence in the summer of 2006, and the first new stands were to be opening before the 2007/08 season.
Again, before work could begin, the plans were dropped, with yet another proposal announced on 25 April 2007 that would see a 36,000 capacity stadium on reclaimed mud flats close to Portsmouth Naval Base. These plans were ambitious and included creating a leisure village around the stadium, complete with 1500 waterfront apartments as well as restaurants and other facilities.
The proposal for a new stadium was widely supported, although cautiously by many that were conscious that the waterfront location proposed in the outline plans would be surrounded on three sides, by the Naval Base, harbour itself and railway, thus leaving only one end for access by residents and supporters. Critics also pointed out that the mudflats the stadium was proposed to sit on was close to an area of Site of Special Scientific Interest, would be difficult to get to by road and had nowhere near the amount of car parking facilities needed for such an enterprise [Portsmouth is an Island, with road access by only three routes from the north, and the waterfront site was close to the south-west extremity of the island].
These plans were also dropped before work could begin. The club had undertaken consultation and there were a number of objectors to the proposal, no least about the problems that 36,000 fans would cause to the local travel infrastructure. The Royal Navy also said that the proposal would cause problems with the proposed introduction of their new super-size aircraft carriers.
In 2008, a fourth set of plans were approved, to build a new 35,000 capacity stadium and leisure/residential complex on Horsea Island
. In 2009 the Horsea Island development was put on hold due to financial issues. The previous proposal to rotate the existing pitch at Fratton Park by 90 degrees was re-instated. Work was due to begin late 2009, with a gradual increase in capacity until completion in 2010 ending with a capacity of 30,000.
In 2011, plans to spend money redeveloping Fratton Park were announced, with improvements to changing rooms and toilets.
26 February 1949, FA Cup
Sixth Round
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
. It has been the home of professional club Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
since its construction in 1898.
Description
The stadium currently has four stands, all seated. The pitch runs from east to west. The largest and most modern stand, at the ground's western end, is the Fratton End (commercially known by its sponsor name as JobSite UK stand). Along either side of the pitch are the North and South stands, both of which are two-tiered. At the eastern end is the Milton End (sponsored as Apollo stand), by far the smallest stand. Formerly the only roofless stand in the Premier League, a roof was added before the 2007/08 season. This stand is shared between home and away supporters. The original entrance to the Fratton End is notable for its mock Tudor façade. Following the arrival of former owner Alexandre GaydamakAlexandre Gaydamak
Alexandre "Sacha" Gaydamak is a French businessman of Russian Ashkenazi Jewish descent, and also holds an Israeli passport. A member of the wealthy Gaydamak family, he is the son of Arcadi Gaydamak....
several renovations were made to Fratton Park, including improved dressing rooms, the above-mentioned roof over the Milton end and a big-screen above the police box between the North Stand and Milton End. The North Stand was refreshed for the 2010/2011 season with renewed sponsorship by Mercedes-Benz (Ridgeway Group) which replaced the "Fratton Park Portsmouth" and the club crest.
The stadium is served by Fratton railway station
Fratton railway station
Fratton railway station is a railway station in Portsmouth, located near Fratton Park, the stadium of association football club Portsmouth F.C.....
(about 10 minutes' walk away), which is located on the Portsmouth Direct Line
Portsmouth Direct Line
The Portsmouth Direct Line is the route of a railway service operated by South West Trains which runs between London Waterloo and Portsmouth Harbour, England...
.
Ridgeway Group North Stand
Milton End (Known as the Linvoy Primus Community Stand for 2010/11 Season)
South Stand
The Jobsite Fratton End Stand
History
The Main Stand was designed by renowned football architect Archibald LeitchArchibald Leitch
Archibald "Offside Archie" Leitch was a Scottish architect, most famous for his work designing football stadia throughout the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.-Early work:...
, whose company also built an ornate pavilion (similar to Craven Cottage
Craven Cottage
Craven Cottage is the name of a football stadium in the Hammersmith and Fulham area that has been the home ground of the association football team Fulham F.C. since 1896....
) complete with clocktower. However, these were largely removed with the expansion of the ground.
The first match at Fratton Park was a friendly against local rivals Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
, which was won 2–0, with goals from Dan Cunliffe
Dan Cunliffe
Daniel "Dan" Cunliffe was an English footballer who had a rather nomadic career in which he played as an inside forward for several clubs, including Liverpool as well as making one appearance for England in 1900.-Career:Cunliffe was born in Bolton and played for several Lancashire clubs, including...
(formerly with Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
) and Harold Clarke (formerly with Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
).
Fratton Park hosted a first-round football game in the 1948 Summer Olympics
1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...
(one of only two grounds outside London, the other being the now disappeared Goldstone Ground
Goldstone Ground
The Goldstone Ground was a football stadium and home ground of Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. between 1902 and 1997. The club currently plays at American Express Community Stadium, a stadium on the outskirts of the city, following the move from their temporary stadium in the Brighton suburb of...
). It hosted one full England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
international match on 2 March 1903 against Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
and has also hosted some England U-21 internationals. Pompey was the first club to stage a Football League match under floodlights, in a 22 February 1956 game against Newcastle United. New floodlight towers were constructed in 1962.
Fratton Park was (until the addition of Blackpool's Bloomfield Road to the Premier League in 2010 and Portsmouth's own relegation to the Championship) the football ground with the lowest maximum capacity in the Premier League. However, it has held 51,385 for an FA Cup match against Derby County in 1949. The capacity has in recent years been much reduced by the introduction of compulsory seating.
Future development
At the end of the 2003/04 season, the club having survived its first season in the Premier League, plans were developed to build a new stadium on the site of an adjacent disused rail-freight depot. These plans, which were supported by the City Council, would also have allowed a much needed increase in ground capacity, but it was claimed that it would be impossible to achieve on the current footprint because of the close proximity of residential housing.
Before work could begin, however, the plans were superseded by a new proposal to redevelop more or less on the existing site, but realigning the pitch 90 degrees to accommodate a larger capacity stadium, funded in part by a "Pompey Village" residential, hotel and retail project on the adjacent site. Work on the stadium was due to commence in the summer of 2006, and the first new stands were to be opening before the 2007/08 season.
Again, before work could begin, the plans were dropped, with yet another proposal announced on 25 April 2007 that would see a 36,000 capacity stadium on reclaimed mud flats close to Portsmouth Naval Base. These plans were ambitious and included creating a leisure village around the stadium, complete with 1500 waterfront apartments as well as restaurants and other facilities.
The proposal for a new stadium was widely supported, although cautiously by many that were conscious that the waterfront location proposed in the outline plans would be surrounded on three sides, by the Naval Base, harbour itself and railway, thus leaving only one end for access by residents and supporters. Critics also pointed out that the mudflats the stadium was proposed to sit on was close to an area of Site of Special Scientific Interest, would be difficult to get to by road and had nowhere near the amount of car parking facilities needed for such an enterprise [Portsmouth is an Island, with road access by only three routes from the north, and the waterfront site was close to the south-west extremity of the island].
These plans were also dropped before work could begin. The club had undertaken consultation and there were a number of objectors to the proposal, no least about the problems that 36,000 fans would cause to the local travel infrastructure. The Royal Navy also said that the proposal would cause problems with the proposed introduction of their new super-size aircraft carriers.
In 2008, a fourth set of plans were approved, to build a new 35,000 capacity stadium and leisure/residential complex on Horsea Island
Horsea Island
Horsea Island was an island located off the northern shore of Portsmouth Harbour; gradually subsumed by reclamation, it is now connected to the mainland...
. In 2009 the Horsea Island development was put on hold due to financial issues. The previous proposal to rotate the existing pitch at Fratton Park by 90 degrees was re-instated. Work was due to begin late 2009, with a gradual increase in capacity until completion in 2010 ending with a capacity of 30,000.
In 2011, plans to spend money redeveloping Fratton Park were announced, with improvements to changing rooms and toilets.
Records
Record Attendance: 51,385 v Derby CountyDerby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
26 February 1949, FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
Sixth Round
Average attendances
| Season | Average attendance |
|---|---|
| 1989–90 | 18,959 |
| 1990–91 | 19,681 |
| 1991–92 | 11,789 |
| 1992–93 | 13,706 |
| 1993–94 | 11,692 |
| 1994–95 | 8,629 |
| 1995–96 | 9,503 |
| 1996–97 | 8,723 |
| 1997–98 | 11,149 |
| 1998–99 | 11,956 |
| 1999–00 | 13,906 |
| 2000–01 | 13,707 |
| 2001–02 | 15,121 |
| 2002–03 | 18,934 |
| 2003–04 | 20,108 |
| 2004–05 | 20,072 |
| 2005-06 | 19,840 |
| 2006–07 | 19,862 |
| 2007–08 | 20,438 |
| 2008–09 | 19,830 |
See also
- Portsmouth F.C.Portsmouth F.C.Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
- List of English football stadiums by capacity
- Ground improvements at English football Stadia