New floodlights to be used tonight
Fratton Park is set for the big switch-on this evening for the League Two clash with Exeter (7.45pm kick-off) after the installation of a complete new floodlight system.
New lamps have been fitted to the existing south-west and south-east floodlight pylons, while there are new lights along the roof-edge of the Fratton End, North Stand and Milton End. The north-west and north-east floodlight pylons are now redundant.
The club worked with Musco Lighting, a global leader in the field of sports floodlighting, to complete the work, with final testing taking place on Monday ahead of the game.
One of the problems the club has faced for many years was that the illumination from the floodlight pylons, especially on the north side, has been obscured by the roof-lines of the North Stand.
The lamps are also future-proof, in the sense they could be reused on any redeveloped stand in the future.
Pompey have a long and proud history of being pioneers in floodlit football.
The original Fratton Park floodlights were installed on top of the North and South Stand roofs in the early 1950s and the club staged the first ever floodlit Football League match in 1956 against Newcastle in the old first division.
The existing pylons were erected in 1962 after a fundraising campaign by the old Portsmouth FC Supporters’ Club.
Seats for tonight’s game can still be bought online here, by calling (023) 9277 8559 or in person from the Frogmore Road ticket office until 5pm. Tickets will be available in the booths behind the Fratton End from 5.30pm.