Fratton Park: What Portsmouth fans have been saying about £10m redevelopment plans
Pompey fans on social media have been having their say on the £10m redevelopment of Fratton Park which has been announced.
The Blues has revealed that work will start immediately on a four-year refurbishment programme of their 121-year-old home to meet health and safety regulations.
It is designed to maintain Fratton Park’s capacity, while improving all areas of the ground for supporters.
The fresh work – which will initially centre on the South and North stands before focusing on the Milton End – will be funded by chairman Michael Eisner's Tornante company.
In a club statement, the American also insisted he remains committed to a new Milton End, which received planning permission in August 2020.
Here’s how fans on out Facebook pages reacted to the news...
Jason Hall: Good news, keep the old girl going.
If you can spare a few million for players as well all good.
Adrian Bennett: I’d much rather have a safe Fratton Park to watch games.
Players come and go, but it’s vital we have a ground to be able to complete games in.
If it falls into disrepair, we would have to try and ground share with a local team, thus reducing capacity.
As Andrew Cullen stated, our owners are funding the refurbishment. To me that’s responsible ownership.
Daniel Fearnley: When I fought hard to save the club and then agreed to sell my shares, I at least expected a clear plan for Fratton and maybe some work completed.
I have not lost faith but pretty close to it.
No stadium plan, no real academy and no progress on pitch.
I fundamentally feel we’d be in the same position if we’d not sold.
Shaw Swanton: 10million is basically a redec in the grand scheme of things.
Darren Archer: Awful lot of money to spend on an extra 1000 seats
Anthony Knight: Mmmm let’s roll out the old stadium refurbishment excuse. Just another excuse not to invest in the squad.
Ellis Waring: Not an excuse. The capacity was cut due to health and safety concerns. Further cuts to the capacity was threatened if works had not been done a few years back which on completions kept capacity to the current levels.
Squad or the ground? I think our owners have done well in spending on both.
Mark Wells: It's good to know that some investment is coming and an explanation as to why we are so skint is welcome.
You wonder though is this type of low-level investment in the players gonna see us slip further down?
I do believe DC is a good appointment though and no debt at this stage is a good place to be. This season will be telling.
Anthony Knight: So a 4 year redevelopment programme. Is that on top of their 5 year plan?
I make that a 9 year plan then to get us back to the championship at least...brick by ever so slowly.