Portsmouth chief addresses Fan Zone and Sky 'conspiracy theories' for Millwall abandonment

The space behind the Fratton End has been refurbished, with the upgrade consisting of the introduction of lights hung across the top of the area.

These were officially switched on at 4.45pm on Wednesday night by Blues mascot Nelson ahead of the clash with Millwall - three hours before Fratton Park’s lights went out following a mains blow out in the substation.

The Championship fixture was eventually abandoned at 8.40pm on health and safety grounds with some of the lighting not restored.

Yet the Blues’ chief executive is adamant the cause of the shortage had nothing to do with the revamped Fan Zone.

Cullen told The News: ‘The new Fan Zone has nothing at all to do with it. It was actually on a separate circuit.

‘They were fine throughout, as was the North Stand, and that’s because they were served by a totally separate circuit to the rest of the stadium.

‘The Fan Zone was separate to the floodlights, separate to the Fratton End, South Stand and Milton End. So there was no impact there.

‘I know people have all sorts of conspiracy theories on that and it is most unfortunate it has happened on the particular evening when we have switched those lights on.

‘But the Fan Zone lights don’t draw that much power and it has nothing to do with that at all, they are on a separate circuit.

‘If those had gone as well, there might have been a different question to answer.’

Cullen has also denied the game was abandoned after Sky Sports cameras were unable to reactivate following the initial power cut.

When asked by BBC Radio Solent’s Andy Moon whether the match would have gone ahead if Sky had been unable to broadcast, Cullen said: ‘Absolutely, the most important thing is to play the game.

‘In terms of broadcasters, it never entered into anybody's mind that, in the event Sky couldn’t broadcast the game, the match would have been off.

‘I am sure everybody would have been understanding (about playing it). The EFL would have wanted the game to go ahead, as would both teams and both sets of players, so that wasn’t a consideration at all.’