Take a tour of Fratton Park
Pompey’s rich history will be the focus of a special day of events at the ground later this month, including tours of the stadium – which are free for children.
On Sunday, April 19 (11am-3pm) – the day after the home match against Bury – the club is staging a History Day, centred on the twice annual programme fair, which will be held in the Victory Lounge under the Fratton End.
A display of club memorabilia will be on show, encompassing the 117-year story of the club, including the replica FA Cup presented to the club for winning the trophy in 2008, as well as some other artefacts which rarely see the light of day.
There will also be an exhibition by the Pompey Pals project, which is a charity devoted to telling the story of the men from Portsmouth who signed up for duty at the outbreak of World War One
Entry to the fair and the displays will be free, but the club are also organising tours of the stadium, including the dressing rooms, tunnel area and boardroom of the iconic venue.
Priced at just £10 for adults, with accompanied juniors (under 17) free, instead of the usual £5, these are sure club to prove popular.
Colin Farmery, who oversees history and archiving projects at the club, said: “Pompey have a fantastic history and it was felt that the programme and memorabilia fair was an ideal opportunity to showcase even more of our unique archive.
“There is a small team of fans, all passionate about the club’s history, who are behind this event.
“In the coming weeks we have a number of other initiatives we hope to be able to reveal about the day, but we are sure the tours will prove a positive attraction.
“We are always being asked if there are organised tours of the stadium and we thought this was a good way to open them up to more fans at an affordable price for a family.”
Named after famous players from the club over the years, the 45-minute tours will run on a rolling programme throughout the event, but places are limited so early booking is advised. They can be booked here.