Fratton Park: 49 fascinating facts you might not know about Portsmouth's historic stadium

In 2012 Pompey fan Kevin Smith published an e-book called The (Secret) History of Fratton Park, featuring some fascinating anecdotes about the ground.

A proportion of the money taken from sales was given to the Pompey Supporters' Trust as it bid to save Pompey by taking over the club.

Here are some of those curious facts '“ how many did you know?

1 On July 26, 1948 Fratton Park played host to an Olympic qualifying game between Ireland and Holland as it was considered a first-class stadium. Holland won 3-1.

2 In March 1953 Portsmouth held their first floodlit night game on a foggy evening against rivals Saints.

3 In December 1924 Fratton Park saw Hampshire rugby union team beaten by the mighty All Blacks of New Zealand, the 26th out of all 26 games the side won on their tour of England that year.

4 In September 1930 aviation pioneer Amy Johnson kicked off a match for the Portsmouth Supporters' Club Schools Cup and attracted an audience of 10,000 to the ground.

5 In June 1918 an international baseball game was played at Fratton Park between the American Army and a Canadian side.

6 In March 1903 centre-half Albert Houlker made his England debut on his home ground of Fratton Park when they played Wales.

7 On August 15, 1899 more than 1,000 people, including some of the first Pompey players, turned up to see how a former potato field had been transformed into a football ground. The first actual match, a 2-0 win against Southampton, was played there on September 5.

8 On March 28, 1916 a 75-yard long piece of roof from the South Stand was ripped off and hit baker William Saunders' house during a spell of extreme weather.

9 The stadium played host to Millwall v Bristol Rovers in April 1978, as Millwall were forced to play home games away as punishment for crowd trouble. There were 12 arrests and 140 police officers on duty.

10 In November 1973 Arsenal came with five full internationals and two under-23 caps in their side, but Pompey still won 2-1.

11 In August 1939 Pompey beat Blackburn Rovers 2-1 with nearly 25,000 spectators turning up '“ but eight days later the game was forgotten as the Second World War began.

12 In April 1953 England legend Sir Bobby Charlton received his first international cap, scoring twice in an 8-0 win over the Republic Of Ireland in a schoolboy match at Fratton Park.

13 In November 1918, Pompey played the Canadian national team. Just two weeks after the end of the First World War, the game was designed to plug gaps between the sparse number of competitive fixtures.

14 Pompey played Italian side Cesena in November 1992. It was the club's first competitive outing against a European side and they won 2-0.

15 In January 1946 the FA Cup was returned to the Football Association after spending a record 2,468 days at Fratton Park during the Second World War. The club had won it in 1939.

16 Pompey played Celtic in May 1976 in their earliest pre-season opener '“ they were beaten 6-1 by the Scottish club.

17 In December 1950 Pompey played Chelsea at the Park and the referee's decisions proved so controversial that he was replaced during the match.

18 In February 2002 England played Portugal in a women's international match in front of 8,821 fans at Fratton Park, then a record crowd for women's football.

19 In February 1927 Pompey played a home match against the Corinthians, the famous amateur football club.

20 In March 1933 players wore numbered shirts for the first time in an England v The Rest trial match at Fratton Park. One reporter believed the experiment would never catch on.

21 In April 1960 England played East Germany in a youth international. Four Pompey players were included in the England squad for the first international game at Fratton Park in 12 years.

22 In March 1953 Pompey played Dundee and the away team's manager, George Anderson, used substitutes during the friendly. But replacements were not permitted in competitive fixtures until 1965/66.

23 In October 1969 Pompey played American team Dallas Tornado, with former Pompey player Ron Newman returning as coach of the side. Pompey won 5-2.

24 In April 1955 Portsmouth played Duisberg, the first overseas side to visit Portsmouth in over 20 years. Teenagers travelled from Portsmouth's twin town in Germany to help build bridges after the Second World War.

25 In January 1933 Pompey played Sheffield United. Amateur goalkeeper Jesse Weekes was asked by Pompey's manager Jack Tinn to play by telegram that morning.

26 In November 1974 Pompey played a behind-closed-doors friendly against Guernsey as Malcolm Manley finally returned to the pitch after nine months out injured.