Portsmouth make important ticketing announcement for Boxing Day trip to Bristol Rovers

If you haven't purchased your ticket for Pompey's Boxing Day trip to Bristol Rovers, then you are too late.

The Blues have confirmed that fans have snapped up all 750 tickets they were alllocated for the game at the Memorial Stadium.

Supporters with 70-plus loyalty points were invited to purchase their spot inside the ground from 10am on Monday. Other windows of opportunity were provided for fans with lesser loyalty points. But all tickets were sold before they would have been made available for general release at 4pm on Tuesday.

The news will disappoint many, particularly as 1,275 members of the Fratton faithful made the trip west last season for the Blues' 2-0 win at the Mem in March. But because the Gas continue to complete work on their south stand which houses away supporters, Pompey's allocation has been significantly reduced.

Indeed, there’ll be a 42-per-cent reduction in the number of Blues fans present on December 26.

Pompey director of sales Mark Judges warned about this prospect back in October. Speaking at the Tony Goodall Fans’ Conference, he said: ‘We have to be honest – there will be disappointed fans this season, with demand so high (for away games). Bristol Rovers is likely to be the most challenging game of the year for us from a ticketing point of view.’ The Blues have been accompanied by an average of 1,639 members of the Fratton faithful on the road this term to date.