Portsmouth drop new stadium plans
Fratton Park will get an extra 10,000 seats
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Thursday, 19, Mar 2009 09:09
Cash-strapped Portsmouth have abandoned plans to build a new stadium and will instead redevelop Fratton Park.
Pompey announced last year that they were planning to make 36,000-capacity ground overlooking Portsmouth harbour. But their plans have been hit by the financial crisis, with the club reportedly £80million in debt and put on sale by owner Alexandre Gaydamak.
In a statement, Portsmouth admitted that the credit-crunch as well as potential difficulty in getting planning permission from the local council in regards to creating motorway exits and a new bridge for the stadium were reasons behind the postponement.
Portsmouth insisted that it remains a long-term commitment of theirs to build a new ground and that they hope to have it completed in time for Football Association's World Cup bid for 2018/2022.
In the meantime, Fratton Park will get two new stands which will see the capacity of the ground increase by 10,000 to 30,000.
Work could start before the end of the year if the club get planning permission and Fratton Park could have a capacity of 25,000 by the end of the 2010/11 season. The rest of the work will be completed the following year.