Portsmouth Football Club submitted plans to expand Fratton Park back in 2020 and slow progress has continued since, with the key focus of the Fratton Park redevelopment being the Milton End stand.
Rail seating has been installed in other areas of the ground to increase the capacity of this stand and help Portsmouth maintain full capacity by improving its ability to meet safety regulations.
What is happening to Fratton Park?
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Several periods of work have occurred at Fratton Park over recent years, some merely to keep the ground open. Football was first played at Fratton Park in 1899, and little has been done to upgrade the infrastructure since Portsmouth's relegation from the Premier League in 2010. Renovation was badly needed.
A few years ago, Portsmouth CEO Andrew Cullen said, the club had to install new cladding to meet fire regulations to avoid being “completely closed down.”
After this, in 2020, Portsmouth submitted plans to extend Fratton Park‘s Milton End stand, adding 400 seats and improved spectator facilities.
Plans also included extending the roof backwards, providing cover for spectators inside and outside the stadium and a new viewing area for disabled fans. This was required not just to improve the fan experience but also because the capacity was constantly being reduced due to safety regulations.
“It had reached a point where it was likely capacity would fall as low as 10,000,” said Cullen.
In June 2021, Portsmouth announced that the Fratton Park redevelopment would begin with an expected completion time of four seasons, at a cost of £10m.
Over the summer of 2023, seats in the Milton End were ripped out to make way for the renovation, which includes connecting this stand to the adjacent North Stand.
In September 2023, rail seating was successfully installed in the back ten rows of the Fratton End, allowing the club to apply for a safe-standing licence from the Sports Ground Safety Authority. This followed the previous installation of rail seats as part of the ongoing Milton End redevelopment.
Are there plans for another Fratton Park redevelopment?
In February 2024, the club's Chief Executive, Andy Cullen, told fans that he had set his sights on extending the North Stand.
At the Tony Goodall Fan's Conference, Cullen ruled out the possibility of filling in the corners at Fratton Park any time soon, explaining to fans that an expanded North Stand makes more sense from a business point of view. He said:
“We have looked at the possibility of filling in corners at Fratton Park to add extra seating. We could do it, but it would be hugely expensive to do compared to the relatively small number of seats that would be delivered.
“The main priority has to be the North Stand. That’s important not just for adding significantly more seats, but in the context of enabling the wider development of the area north of the stand, including for mixed commercial/residential properties as has been outlined in the Portsmouth Local Plan.
“It would be a huge expense, partly financed by the extra income we’d make from the wider development and increased ROI (return on investment) from future revenue from ticketing and other commercial activities projected from within any new redeveloped stand.”
It's estimated that an increase to the North Stand would increase the capacity at Fratton Park to over 25,000.
History of Fratton Park
Fratton Park is more than 120 years old. It is the only professional English football ground not found on the mainland of Great Britain. Fratton Park is on Portsea Island, built in 1899 on the site of a market garden in Milton, a village on the island.
The ‘Fratton Park' name was used to link the ground to the nearby train station ‘Fratton'. In fact, the station and the ground weren't that close, but it encouraged supporters to attend.
Fratton Park's peak came in the 1930s when, following two stand reconstructions, the capacity reached 58,000. This was reduced to 52,000 after safety regulations were introduced following the Burnden Park disaster (1946) at Bolton Wanderers.
The Portsmouth stadium was a host stadium for the 1948 London Olympics, and in the following season, Portsmouth won the Division One title and set a stadium record, with 51,385 watching their FA Cup sixth-round match against Derby County.
Stands at Fratton Park
South Stand at Fratton Park
The main stand at Fratton Park is the South Stand which houses the dressing rooms and Director's Box, and home supporters. It has a 4,856 capacity.
North Stand at Fratton Park
The North Stand is opposite the main stand, also along the touchline. It hosts home fans, with a huge 8,147 capacity over two tiers.
Milton End at Fratton Park
The Milton End is currently undergoing huge reconstruction and renovation. It was opened in 1905 and is behind the east goal. Home and away fans sit here, with a 3,196 capacity.
Fratton End at Fratton Park
The Fratton End is where Portsmouth's most vociferous home supporters can be found. The 4,700-capacity stand is behind the west goal and was opened in October 1997.
