Portsmouth: We want fans back for rescheduled Leasing.com Trophy final against Salford

And autumn is presently viewed as a potential date for the Salford encounter.

The Wembley fixture was scheduled to have taken place on April 5, with the Blues selling in excess of 50,000 tickets for the occasion.

However, the coronavirus crisis forced the suspension of the match.

Although the campaigns of League One and League Two have been curtailed and focus switched to the play-offs, the Leasing.com Trophy final remains intact.

The biggest issue is when it can fit into next season’s footballing calendar – yet Pompey are confident it will still take place.

The Blues’ chief commercial officer, Anna Mitchell, said: ‘We are still pending a date for reschedule.

‘The focus has been on finishing this season, while we don’t want to play the Leasing.com Trophy final until we know the crowds can be back and inside Wembley to watch it.

‘Originally we were hoping that would be in August, but, as the months have passed, that is more likely to be in autumn or next year.

‘Obviously not having had the previous year’s final will impact upon the start of the competition.

‘The date of the final just depends when fans will be allowed back into the stadium.

‘It is all about having spectators inside the ground. We wouldn’t want to play it behind closed doors.’

An EFL Trophy record crowd of 85,021 were present when Pompey triumphed over Sunderland in the March 2019 final.

The holders then booked a Wembley return, with Salford standing in the way of the Blues becoming the only team to register successive victories in the final.

Initially it was mooted the fixture could be used as a pre-season friendly ahead of any new campaign.

However, with the country nearing three months in lockdown, attention has turned towards staging it at the end of the year.

With a Wembley date still to be fixed, Pompey insist they are not in a position to commence with a refunding scheme for those possessing tickets.

Once it becomes clear, however, supporters will be able to act.

Mitchell added: ‘If the game is rescheduled and people can’t make the new date then we will refund or credit them.

‘The tickets have already been dispatched, along with a slip informing them that if they cannot attend then a refund will be considered.

‘Hopefully most people will be desperate to attend a live sporting event after this period of time not going to games.’

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