Power failure forces Pompey match postponement
The club's chief executive has apologised to supporters
Last updated 28th Nov 2024
Portsmouth FC's chief executive has apologised to supporters after a power failure forced their Championship match with Millwall last night (Wednesday 27th) to be postponed.
The floodlights failed shortly before the planned 7.45pm kick-off time, while issues were also reported with CCTV systems around the ground.
While some power was able to restored, fans were kept waiting in stands for around an hour before an official announcement was made.
The club said the match was called off for safety reasons and to prevent Millwall and Pompey fans from being left stranded by a lack of train services due to the delayed kick-off.
Speaking afterwards, Pompey chief executive Andy Cullen admitted it was 'really disappointing and frustrating' for supporters, players, officials and coaches.
"We had a capacity crowd and they wanted to see a good game of football, but we’ve not been able to deliver that.
"We lost power just 10 minutes before kick-off throughout the whole stadium, including the floodlights, the stands and CCTV in the control room.
"The only place we didn’t lose power was in the North Stand and the Fanzone, which is served by a different circuit.
"We worked hard to identify the source of the problem and eventually we traced it back to the substation that serves Fratton Park.
"We have no access into there and, at the moment, can only speculate what caused the trip in that area. That will be part of the investigation.
"I’m incredibly sorry that those who have travelled here have not been able to watch a game, but hope they understand that it’s something we had no control over."
The postponement is the second to hit Pompey in the space of five days, after their match at Blackburn Rovers on Saturday (November 23rd) was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
It means they haven't played a competitive game since their 3-1 win over Preston, also at Fratton Park on November 9th.
John Mousinho's side, who've now slipped to the bottom of the Championship table, are next due to play on Saturday away at Swansea City.