Andy Cullen suggests Portsmouth upgrade as Fratton Park work underway
Fratton Park’s pitch is currently undergoing its customary summer renovation, but big plans are on the horizon at Portsmouth.
Andy Cullen has hinted at a significant, long-term project for a new playing surface, as the Blues prepare for a second season in the Championship.
This ambitious upgrade promises a substantial transformation for the stadium’s future capabilities.
Fratton Park’s future
While Fratton Park’s annual pitch renovation is well underway, chief executive Cullen has confirmed that a brand-new, state-of-the-art playing surface remains a top priority.
The Blues are firmly committed to introducing a revolutionary sand-based hybrid pitch complete with undersoil heating in the coming years.
This cutting-edge upgrade would be a game-changer, enabling Fratton Park to host even more matches across a single season, maximising its potential.
For now, though, the focus is on perfecting the existing pitch through meticulous summer maintenance, ensuring the best playing surface for the upcoming campaign.
Speaking to The News, Cullen explained, “We are currently carrying out our annual renovation, which is something we have to do every year to provide the optimum playing surface.
“That involves stripping all the debris out of the pitch, resanding it, and then restitching the carpet underneath the pitch, which provides more stability in terms of re-growth.
“That is a project which will probably take a week to complete. It is then re-seeded, and we will give it six-to-seven weeks of growth, which is necessary.”
On a potential new pitch, Cullen said: “We do need a new pitch in years to come and would look to install a hybrid pitch.
“The grass pitch with plaster fibre growth is becoming more the norm now across all professional sports.
“We need a more robust pitch to be able to stage other things, in addition to 28 matches we might play on the pitch during the season with the women and FA Youth Cup games.”
Eisners to continue Portsmouth rise
The need for a more robust pitch is clear, given the ever-increasing demands on Fratton Park.
Pompey Women lit up the stadium three times last season, including a memorable 4-0 victory over Blackburn that secured their Women’s Championship status.
Even Sam Hudson’s Under-18s got a taste of the big stage, hosting Leeds in a thrilling FA Youth Cup clash in December 2024, showcasing an impressive display in a narrow 3-2 extra-time defeat.
John Mousinho’s men’s team, meanwhile, battled through 24 league and cup matches at Fratton Park last season.
Their impressive home form saw them finish as the Championship’s eighth-best-performing team at home for the 2024-25 season, with 11 wins from 23 matches.
The future of Fratton Park’s pitch looks bright, with a clear long-term vision to handle the growing demands of a successful, multi-faceted club.
The Eisners know this, too, and they have to be applauded for that, with promotion to the Premier League surely the ultimate goal for any club at this level, no matter how ambitious that sounds right now.