Some of the biggest names in the game have applauded the old girl’s unique charm and atmosphere, recognising the Frogmore Road ground as one of their favourites.
In their own words, they describe just why Fratton Park is so special…
1. Josè Mourinho
‘No, (Old Trafford) is not Portsmouth. I remember Portsmouth when they were in the Premier League, such a small stadium, the atmosphere was absolutely incredible. ‘In here the atmosphere is a bit quiet and it is not very, very enthusiastic.’ (The Sun, February 2018) Photo: Alessandro Sabattini
2. Petr Cech
'Of course, you hear the atmosphere and whether the fans are loud or not, and you hear the individual shouts that stand out during a quiet moment, but it’s mainly the overall atmosphere you feel when you are on the pitch. 'After a while, you get to know the specific atmosphere of individual stadiums. I always loved to play at Portsmouth. 'Although it was one of the ‘worst’ stadiums in the league with the worst pitch - there was a huge bump in the goalmouth, like a hill you had to run up when a cross came from one side to the other - the atmosphere was always great. 'There was the drum, the fans never stopped supporting their team. It had a particular charm.' (Chelsea FC, November 2021) Photo: Justin Setterfield
3. Neil Warnock
‘It’s a fabulous club. When I was a visiting manager, I used to get up and shout instructions and the fans behind drowned me out. I couldn’t shout a flipping thing! ‘There are a couple of clubs I wish I had the chance to manage and that was one of them. I’ve always got on well with the fans there. ‘Pompey’s a lovely club, though.’ (The News, January 2023) Photo: Matt McNulty
4. Paolo Di Canio
‘They are one of the most loyal fans in the world because they always commit 100 per cent to the club. 'On the first day of the season there were 18 or 19 thousand. The last game, even in a bad moment, 11 thousand so for me it’s important as a manager to smell the atmosphere and my players have to feel the same - like when we went to the Britannia Stadium against Stoke. ‘Even if they play in League One with us, the feeling and the atmosphere is like a club at the top level. Portsmouth is still a top club - the fans are amazing and unfortunately for them they don’t know what’s going on in the future so I’m very sorry for them.’ (Swindon Town website, September 2012) Photo: Alex Pantling