Portsmouth against Millwall postponed for safety reasons as power cut plunges Fratton Park into darkness
Portsmouth’s clash against Millwall has been postponed an hour after kick-off was set to happen due to a power cut at Fratton Park. The Championship game was due to kick off at 19:45 on Wednesday. Fratton Park was plunged into darkness two minutes before kick offX:@philclarke0170 One stand was lit before most of the power returned – but the game was still cancelledtalkSPORT A statement from Pompey posted on their official X account just after the game was due to start read: “There is currently an issue with the power at Fratton Park and it is being looked into. “We will update supporters in due course.” Footage posted by fans inside the ground showed supporters sitting in total darkness. Many held up their phone torches in an effort to get some light going. 20 minutes on from the original kick-off time, one stand was finally lit. Full power returned a few minutes after, aside from one of the stands still not having lights in the crowd. Players had returned back on the pitch to warm up, but the decision was made to postpone the game. A statement on Pompey’s X said: “Tonight’s match against Millwall has been postponed for safety reasons due [to] circumstances beyond the club’s control. “We will update fans further in due course.” Luck hasn’t been on Portsmouth’s side of late – and that goes beyond them sitting in the bottom three of the Championship. https://twitter.com/alex_crook/status/1861873347870535982 This is the second game in a row for Pompey that has been cancelled on the day. John Mousinho’s side were due to play Blackburn, but the match was postponed after Storm Bert caused rain water to pool in the centre of Rovers’ pitch. Travelling fans were left furious after many had already begun the 268-mile journey to Ewood Park when the news was confirmed. Millwall fans returning to south London tonight will no doubt feel equally aggrieved after travelling down to the coast mid-week. In a statement, the Lions said: “Millwall Football Club regrets to inform supporters that tonight’s match has been postponed due to a power failure in the local area. “We thank fans for their patience and support this evening. Fans in the away end will be safely escorted to the railway station once the home fans have left Fratton Park.” The floodlights weren’t playing ball on WednesdayX:@george_wedlake Before the postponement was confirmed, some Pompey fans decided to make light of the power issue. “Can’t lose a game if you don’t pay the leccy bill,” one quipped on X. A second joked: “In truth, #Pompey really could have done with these waterlogged pitches and power cuts in August, September or October.” “Only one more postponement away from only losing one game all of November,” a third said. “What relegation form?!” Meanwhile, their rivals Southampton have appeared to make a cheeky dig at them. Posting on X with a picture of St Mary’s during a night game they wrote: “Football under the lights.” Portsmouth were promoted as champions of League One last term. However, they’ve had a tricky start in their return to the second tier, and were two points off basement club Queens Park Rangers going into the evening. The west London club overtook them with a 2-0 win over Cardiff on Wednesday, leaving Pompey rock bottom with two games in hand.
Portsmouth’s clash against Millwall has been postponed an hour after kick-off was set to happen due to a power cut at Fratton Park.
The Championship game was due to kick off at 19:45 on Wednesday.
A statement from Pompey posted on their official X account just after the game was due to start read: “There is currently an issue with the power at Fratton Park and it is being looked into.
“We will update supporters in due course.”
Footage posted by fans inside the ground showed supporters sitting in total darkness.
Many held up their phone torches in an effort to get some light going.
20 minutes on from the original kick-off time, one stand was finally lit.
Full power returned a few minutes after, aside from one of the stands still not having lights in the crowd.
Players had returned back on the pitch to warm up, but the decision was made to postpone the game.
A statement on Pompey’s X said: “Tonight’s match against Millwall has been postponed for safety reasons due [to] circumstances beyond the club’s control.
“We will update fans further in due course.”
Luck hasn’t been on Portsmouth’s side of late – and that goes beyond them sitting in the bottom three of the Championship. https://twitter.com/alex_crook/status/1861873347870535982
This is the second game in a row for Pompey that has been cancelled on the day.
John Mousinho’s side were due to play Blackburn, but the match was postponed after Storm Bert caused rain water to pool in the centre of Rovers’ pitch.
Travelling fans were left furious after many had already begun the 268-mile journey to Ewood Park when the news was confirmed.
Millwall fans returning to south London tonight will no doubt feel equally aggrieved after travelling down to the coast mid-week.
In a statement, the Lions said: “Millwall Football Club regrets to inform supporters that tonight’s match has been postponed due to a power failure in the local area.
“We thank fans for their patience and support this evening. Fans in the away end will be safely escorted to the railway station once the home fans have left Fratton Park.”
Before the postponement was confirmed, some Pompey fans decided to make light of the power issue.
“Can’t lose a game if you don’t pay the leccy bill,” one quipped on X.
A second joked: “In truth, #Pompey really could have done with these waterlogged pitches and power cuts in August, September or October.”
“Only one more postponement away from only losing one game all of November,” a third said. “What relegation form?!”
Meanwhile, their rivals Southampton have appeared to make a cheeky dig at them.
Posting on X with a picture of St Mary’s during a night game they wrote: “Football under the lights.”
Portsmouth were promoted as champions of League One last term.
However, they’ve had a tricky start in their return to the second tier, and were two points off basement club Queens Park Rangers going into the evening.
The west London club overtook them with a 2-0 win over Cardiff on Wednesday, leaving Pompey rock bottom with two games in hand.
