Portsmouth's Championship rivals to receive fine ahead of mid-week clash vs Blues

Pompey are back in action in just over 24 hours as they take on Stoke City at the Bet365 Stadium. The Blues are still in search of their maiden win in the 2024/25 Championship campaign, after putting in a tremendous battle to secure a 0-0 draw against Sheffield United on Saturday. They’re now preparing to take on a side likely to receive a fine.

The Potters are only two points ahead of Pompey in the table, recently suffering a 2-0 defeat to Middlesbrough, but the lack of points was not the only disappointment from the day as Narcis Pelach’s side picked up seven yellow cards.

It was far from a bad tempered match but referee Stephen Martin dished out 11 bookings over the course of the match - seven to the Potters and four to the hosts. The FA rules state that if six or more of a club’s players are cautioned or sent off during a game, then the side will receive a fine of £5,000.

The ruleback states that: “On the first occasion that this happens in a playing season, the Association may offer the club a standard punishment (of £5,000 for any Championship club).

“For each successive occasion that this happens in the same playing season, the standard punishment offered will be a fine that is double and then treble the set amount.”

After the final whistle, the Potters head coach Pelach criticised referee Martin’s performance, particularly what he branded a ‘bad decision’ to award a free-kick to Boro in the build-up to Ben Doak’s opening goal.

“It’s not a foul from Koumas,” Pelach said. “It’s a bad decision in my opinion. I don’t want to talk about the referee every week but it’s happened in my two games, that’s true.”

Despite the Blades’ evident outrage at referee Matthew Donohue for blowing his full-time whistle just after awarding them a free-kick, Pompey vs Sheffield United saw only five yellow cards - two of which were against the home side.

Defender Tom McIntyre was shown a yellow within two minutes of play after bringing down Jesarun Rak-Sakyi while Harvey Blair was later disciplined after just three minutes of being on the pitch.

Now, however, the Blues will make their final preparations as they continue to seek out their first win of the ongoing campaign. Pompey will make the four hour journey up to Stoke ahead of Wednesday 2 October’s 7.45pm kick-off time.