Portsmouth chief pinpoints capacity boost as Fratton Park toasts biggest crowd since Southampton 12 years ago

Andy Cullen believes revitalised Fratton Park is equipped to accommodate 20,000 crowds again following its biggest attendance for 12 years.

There were 19,404 present for Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Charlton, including 2,147 in the modelled Milton End.

It represents the largest crowd for a home fixture since the December 2011 clash with Southampton in the Championship, when Joel Ward’s late header secured a 1-1 draw.

The attendance that day was 19,879, yet with subsequent capacity restrictions, the plummet down the Football League and recent £11.5m stadium works, the Blues have rarely broken the 19,000 barrier since.

With Milton End work pencilled in to finish in time for Bolton’s visit on December 11, Cullen believes Fratton Park will soon hold around 21,000.

Although, taking into account segregation, he expects that figure to be in the 20,000 region - a potential last achieved when welcoming Manchester United, Spurs, Arsenal and Liverpool in Premier League days.

Pompey’s chief executive told The News: ‘Saturday’s attendance was made possible because of work on the Milton End and the fact we now have 100 per cent usage of the South Stand and 100 per cent usage of the North Stand.

‘We have also protected the Fratton End by putting in rail seating, which was the next area potentially heading towards some capacity restrictions because of persistent standing in the upper tiers.

‘All those factors have come together, whereas if you look back over the last few years, we’ve had 60 per cent of the South Stand in use and the North Stand was limited too.

‘Now we have a stadium fully compliant with all the safety regulations, meaning we can use it to its full potential.

‘If you were able to occupy every single seat, the capacity would be about 21,000, but there will be seats you can never use because you must give some over to segregation.

‘Once the Milton End is complete, we’d be able to have just over 20,000 fans here after segregation - and that’s why I want to try to maximise every seat.’

Since the December 2011 south-coast derby, Pompey have registered more than 19,000 for a Fratton Park fixture on just five occasions.

They include Charlton (April 2018 and Saturday), Luton (August 2018), Sunderland (December 2018) and Bristol Rovers (August 2019).

Cullen added: ‘Away fans will always be a big component of reaching capacity.

‘If you have 300 away fans turn up, you’re probably losing 700-800 seats because of segregation. Yet if you have 800 turn up it gives you the potential to then maximise the other two sections.

‘Likewise, if you have 2,000 away fans turn up, with segregation you can have 500 home fans in there.’