The Fratton End was opened in 1997 and is the most modern of the stands in the stadium, as well as the tallest. Dons gave away a silly goal at the beginning but then dominated and drew level just before half time from a rebound of a missed penalty. When I first walked through the gates, I could see it was a good sized ground which had 4 all seated stands. Copyright Football-Stadiums.co.uk 2015-2023 - Do Not Reproduce Without Permission | About - Contact - Advertising- Privacy, Frogmore Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, PO4 8RA, By Ben Sutherland (Flickr: Fratton Park, home of Portsmouth FC) [. This was also my first FA cup fourth round game that I have seen as well. This may have been because no alcohol is served to away fans at Fratton Park. Fratton Park officially opened in 1898 and is home to Portsmouth. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portsmouth_F.C. I found both the Stewards and Police very helpful and not over-the-top in policing us. With Shrewsbury running well in the league and Portsmouth on the rise, it also promised to be a very competitive game. With most of the ground corners being open (apart from one corner beside the away section), the stadium does have an open feel to it and it is a great sun trap on a hot day as it was for us. Fratton Park Stadiums Address for sat-nav is: There is a car park at Fratton End which costs 5 and operates on a first come, first served basis. The club has spent its entire existence playing its games at Fratton Park stadium, despite numerous considerations to move elsewhere. The ground looked really small from the outside as it was very difficult to see as it is hidden behind housing. Friendly staff, friendly Pompey fans (chiefly, of the elder variety) and simple food fayre on offer. Yet whilst the stewards kept an eye on it they opted not to warbirds intervene. What did you do before the game? Following an extensive review and ongoing consultation with a wide range of connected parties, including, among others, specialist designers, architects, planners, the Heritage & Advisory Board and Tony Goodall Fans Conference Portsmouth Football Club can announce that it will shortly submit a planning application for consideration to commence phase one of the proposed redevelopment of Fratton Park. One of the things I was keen to see was how the ground had indeed changed since my previous visits. Fratton Station is less than 0.7 miles away from Portsmouths stadium with the walk taking between 10-15 minutes depending on your speed. There are eight suites at the ground offering capacities that range from 30 to 600, with free Wi-Fi available in all of them. Theres also self-parking on offer, free Wi-Fi and a snack bar. Then, over the road to the Spice Island, not as good in my opinion but more than acceptable. Home; Services; New Patient Center. Fratton Park, Portsmouth: See 97 reviews, articles, and 38 photos of Fratton Park, ranked No.30 on Tripadvisor among 104 attractions in Portsmouth. Stewards patrolled the areas between the now obligatory netting but other than that were largely inconspicuous despite their hi-vis jackets. A crash on the M3 followed by heavy local traffic meant we were only arriving at Fratton Park as the game was kicking off. If you turn left at the roundabout onto Fratton Way you can get to the ground that way, this brings you to the Fratton End and the ticket office. Dockyard Derby! The ground is just as old fashioned and as full of character as I thought it would be. What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly? The trains run every 20 or 30 minutes or so. The postcode for Fratton Park is PO4 8RA. From Bournemouth, you take the A338, A31, M27 and A2030 which takes you directly to the stadium. Pompey never really offered a great deal after that and Notts looked more likely to score again. Well done the stewards. We left Exeter mid morning, arriving in Portsmouth just after 1pm. The second half was better for |Coventry and in the 67th minute we equalised through Llukas Jutkiewiczt. The home fans seemed okay, but I had covered up my Argyle shirt as I walked to the ground. Frogmore Road, Portsmouth, PO4 8RA Telephone: At the time it was described as a Ornante Pavilion complete with Clocktower similar to that of Fulhams Craven Cottage. After a short stop at Fleet Services on the way, where we bumped into the Chelsea fans coaches on the way down to Southampton. The home side won 2-0, with two former Merseyside players scoring the goals. Even a few Blackpool sailors turned up who had just docked in the bay. The away end is by far the smallest at Fratton Park, with an impressive looking home end opposite. (Pompey John will pose for selfies should the opportunity arise.) The away end was incredibly small. The Atmosphere, as expected was excellent particularly from the Pompey fans who I dont think stopped singing all game, great credit to them theyre a magnificent bunch of supporters. Milton became a residential suburb of Portsmouth in 1904 when Portsmouth's boundaries were expanded to include all of Portsea Island. As a football match, it was poor, and the atmosphere amongst the home fans seemed more directed at overall survival with chants such as "We'll never die" floating across the air. My word, they have some expressive hand gestures! They deserve to at least be a Championship side at least. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game: Leaving the ground we felt very disappointed, to say the least. Please note that tickets for accompanied juniors can only be purchased at the stadium, and that prices for cup competitions differ. We didn't really press their box in the second half but we managed to hold on to progress to the second round where we were drawn away to Burnley later in the month. On arrival at Fratton by train you pass the ground on the left. Expect plenty of places to buy a bite to eat or drink before and during the game on the concourses beneath the stands. It was a long and quite a complicated journey; We left Coventry station at 8.31am, on a London bound train to Euston. 0-0 at Half Time seemed like a fair result to me. Around a 10-15 minute walk away from St James Park is Newcastle College, where around 400 car parking spaces are available for home matches and other events at the stadium. Its twenty miles away from Portsmouth and has good rail links. I loved it. The first match the ground ever saw was a friendly between Portsmouth and their local rivals Southampton, played on the 5th of September 1898. The two staples of Fratton Park are probably the McDonalds and KFC on Fratton Way to the west of the ground with a Tesco express and Co-op located towards the south-east on the A2030 Goldsmith Avenue. Under 23s 15 It's incredible to think the Main Stand is nearly a century old. The stadium is situated a 12 minute walk and a very short 4 minute drive from Fratton station. Arrived at the ground with just 15 minutes until kick off, so no time to get food or a drink. The 800 or so Wycombe fans were housed in the stand behind the far goal. Stewards were very helpful and non-obtrusive and had to open up the corner section of the away stand for the late arrivals. I had a few hours to look around the town, sights, shops etc. I would go again next year unless Portsmouth go up. The normal queues back to the A3 and then diverted twice due to roadworks. However we were not to be denied as Brett Williams was subbed on in the 92nd minute and was racing away celebrating the equaliser in the 94th, a good looping header from a long throw. The Plaza Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth, PO1 3FD. We were almost awestruck upon entering this comparatively huge ground, and the away end certainly impressed, being large and fans housed close to the action. With attendances pushing 20,000 it is certainly a big game at League One and worth a visit. 2019-2020: 17,804 (League One) It was a great Christmas present and I had a great day, I wouldnt hesitate in visiting Fratton Park again one day. It comes with all of the trimmings listed above as well as a visit from one of the current players. A crazy, crazy game which felt like a win. You can expect to find all the local characters in here, and while you might not want to flout away colours it's by no means unfriendly. A huge 3,500 new homes could be built as part of the council's controversial 1bn Tipner West masterplan - which has faced fierce opposition from environmental groups and politicians. A quick walk through residential streets back to the car, and then onto the main roads to the M27. It was a brilliant result, with a great atmosphere from the travelling Barnet fans and if the two sides were to play again, I would not hesitate to make my way down to Fratton Park again. However when we finally found it, we were relieved to discover other people were having the same issue! They then went 2-0 in the second half, only for us to grab a consolation in the final minute. 78-82 Fratton Road, Portsmouth, PO1 5BZ (023 9277 9742). The game was dampened a little by the fact that it was an icy February day with a whipping breeze, and those of us that were stupid enough to stand at the back of the stand, where there's a sizeable gap between the seats and the roof, paid the full price! Height (cm): 165 At one end is the Fratton End, which is a more modern single tiered stand that was opened in 1997. University of Portsmouth Kit To let the crowds get away I went for a bite to eat in town then a couple of pints in the Trafalgar Arms. Initially it appeared the game would be one-sided for the home team especially when they scored in the third minute. Once in your seat you can see that the ground is still very much in the old style where the fans are almost on top of the pitch, just a few supporting pillars blocking some views. The first half was somehow an entertaining affair with little goal-mouth action until Francois Zoko headed Notts into the lead just as the board went up for one minute of added time. The away end is distinctly average considering Portsmouth's recent status seating leg room typical of 'older' stadium in being a little tight and the ladies toilets (I'm reliably informed) are not much to write home about. Also you can catch a train back to Waterloo from Fratton after the game. Why were you looking forward to visiting Fratton Park? Meanwhile, as you wander along the back of the "Milton End" to enter the viewing area, or return to purchase refreshments, you can see into the backs of all the houses; the colourful array of childrens climbing frames, broken bicycles, well tended gardens, others less well cared for, another reminder of how much history has passed down this lovely old ground. . Its got a restaurant, a bar, two meeting rooms and a conference space. Running alongside the pitch are two fantastic old stands that have stood the test of time well. Both the North and South Stands are two-tiered and have a number of supporting pillars. Getting out the ground after the game took ages, maybe this was due to the large away contingent, but all three home stands had long since dispersed, by the time I got out and I was not in the middle of the stand. By using this site, you agreeing to the Terms and to the use of cookies. I was most looking forward to hearing the 'Pompey Chimes' and this did surface in the second half. Address: Fratton Park, Frogmore Rd, Portsmouth, Southsea PO4 8RA, UK GPS coordinates for the navigator: 50.7963 N, 1.0638 W Year of construction: 15 August 1899 Construction cost: 600 million Field: soil-based natural turf lawn with dimensions of 105 x 66 m (115 x 73 yards) Seating plan of the Fratton Park Stadium Because of this there were only a handful of home fans present. Brilliant away end, low roof and some pretty large advertising rafters make it feel very enclosed, and it's easy to get some noise going. We were harangued a little by a single Portsmouth fan as we walked away but a small group of home fans then walked with us almost protectively which, I think, speaks volumes for the majority of their support. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game: With a big crowd present this wasn't the quickest thing ever, but it was still easy enough and we arrived back at the station in good time for our train back to Reading via Southampton. Portsmouth FC fixture list (takes you to the BBC Sports website). Frogmore Road, Southsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO4 8RA, 20,821 vs Tottenham Hotspur (17th October 2009), Arthur Cogswell (1899), Archibald Leitch (1925, 1935), KSS Design Group (1997), Peter Crouch, Lassana Diarra, David James, Glen Johnson, Jamie O'Hara, Paul Merson, Sol Campbell, Nwankwo Kanu, Dejan Stefanovi, Niko Kranjar, Harry Redknapp, Steve Claridge, Avram Grant, Tony Adams, Kenny Jackett, Senior (60+)/Young Person (17-22): 15.00, Junior (U17, accompanied by an adult): 5.00. What you did before the ga me pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly? Covid Restrictions may be in place when you visit Fratton Park in 2023. The Milton End is perhaps the weakest side of Fratton Park. All areas of Fratton Park* The ground being a ten minute walk from Fratton train station and easily identifiable by those grand old floodlights made the journey very straightforward. However after a massive howler from the Pompey keeper led to an equaliser Macclesfield grew in confidence and the play was more balanced until a bit of pinball in the Macc penalty area in first half added time led to Portsmouth taking the lead again. Portsmouth . Fratton Park has an all seated capacity of just over 20,000 and have been Portsmouth's home since 1899. Easy. To get to the away end straight away go straight across that roundabout and go left when you reach Apsley Road. If you have not pre-purchased a ticket for the game, then allow yourself plenty of time as the ticket booth is located at the opposite end of the ground to the away end. Aside from this, the South Stand is fairly modern, but the rest of the stands are a lot older and some bits are basically terraces with seats bolted in. Opposite is the recently covered Milton End, which is all seated. Then Turn Left into Frogmore Road and the entrance to the Fratton End and South Stands is 100m ahead. It's very easy for the cold and rain to get into here when present. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out: Well felt down for the rest of the weekend, but viewing the historical sights around Portsmouth still made the trip worthwhile. The away end has a lowish roof so it generates a lot of noise, plus theres always some friendly banter with some of the younger home supporters in the North Stand. Once in the right direction, you could see the floodlights of the ground from quite some way, away. Buy Sabaton - The Tour . After having a look round we went to the away end; in itself very old school walk to the ground, down a back alley from the terraced streets. The game itself was fairly uneventful and I experienced the very definition of being 'robbed' at a football match as Portsmouth scored with literally the last kick of the game after, what I felt was, a dominating performance from us. A good performance from Macclesfield against an underperforming Portsmouth and with slightly more composure Macc could have taken them to a replay. Not far from the stadium is this member of the ibis hotel chain. FA Cup 6th Round, 26th February 1949. Booking train tickets in advance will normally save you money! I had not been to Fratton Park for many years and was looking forward to see if it had changed. Very pleasant. As for the game itself, a first half pasting for Crawley meant a pretty mundane second half so not one to live long in the memory. The away end which was fully occupied by Swindon fans was a bit of a throwback once through the turnstiles the stand looks like a former terrace, and is very open. Close by is the Milton Arms, which at one time was for home fans only. Early watery sunshine dissipated as we neared our destination, and the grey clouds seemed to be almost touching the floodlights of Fratton Park in a gesture of nature that was far too symbolic for my liking. The club did discuss the idea of moving to a new stadium in the 1990s, and there have been various updates and improvements suggested since 2000, but ever since Portsmouths financial problems and subsequent relegations through the Football League any plans to move or develop the ground have been put on hold. Fratton Park Seating Plan Below is a seating plan of Portsmouth's Fratton Park: Stand Photos Fratton Park consists of four sections: The North Stand, The Milton End (East), The South Stand and Fratton End (West). The away end was more than adequate for Stanleys small contingent. 7. Whilst walking away from the ground we heard another roar and we knew it was then 6-1. Meanwhile on the pitch, we could have stayed there till midnight and we still probably wouldn't have seen a goal in part I wouldn't have minded, as there is a certain magic about watching those swathes of rain drift illuminated under the shafts of light from the floodlight pylons; and it was more entertaining than the football too! The stewards were all good and the cheeseburger I had was fine although I couldn't actually taste any cheese! Our driver then missed the turning in to the stadium, and therefore having to do a lap of the whole ground (getting stuck in every set of red lights). NLE section K row 113 seat A lot of the crowd were heading towards the station and we seemed to mix with no problems at all, even got talking to another Pompey fan at the station. There was plenty of traffic close to ground on the A2030 but I had no problem on parking on a side street about 10 minutes walk from Fratton Park, near to a large Tesco store. Required fields are marked *, Please read our Terms and Conditions before submission. How to determine the form of What is Quinella in horse races? The end opposite to us, the Fratton End though did look quite impressive and this is where most of the noise from the home fans was coming from. It was a good day out and Fratton Park is definitely a ground worth ticking off. An easy car journey down the A34/M3/M27 corridor, with the M274 taking us straight into the city. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking? Works could start at the end of this season. Ive heard nothing but good things about a trip to Fratton Park, so its a ground Ive wanted to visit for a long time. But Steve Lovells side have an enormous heart and were brilliant in the second half, scoring three excellent goals to win. The game was played at a very fast pace with Portsmouth running out 3-2 winners after being 3-0 up in front of just over 16,000 supporters. There is always a good atmosphere at a night game and Fratton Park feels old fashioned in the best sense. Luckily we were prepared, as we had brought our own map. By Neil Allen. If travelling by train from London, then your return ticket from London Waterloo allows you to get off at either Fratton (nearest to ground), Portsmouth & Southsea (best for pubs) or Portsmouth Harbour. The pie was swiftly demolished and soon it was time for the second half. I did try a burger but it wasn't great. Below is a seating plan of Portsmouth's Fratton Park: Fratton Park consists of four sections: The North Stand, The Milton End (East), The South Stand and Fratton End (West). 3. Away fans are normally housed on one side of the Milton End (on the North Stand side) where the normal allocation is 1,400.