Pompey postpone ground renovation

The cost of Fratton Park's facelift could cost £30m

Portsmouth will delay the demolition of the North Stand at Fratton Park until the end of next season.

The work was due to start in November 2005 and would have meant fans being moved 40 yards away from the pitch.

"In the end we have bowed to what the majority of fans seem to be saying," said club chairman Milan Mandaric.

Mandaric insists the delay does not mean the major facelift to turn the south-coast side's ground around 90 degrees will not take place.

He added: "Originally we thought that most fans would be more than willing to put up with the inconvenience because of the end results.

"But such have been the concerns we have decided, for a number of reasons, we would do things the other way around.

At least this way we get another shot of staying in the Premiership - and we still get an improved stadium From NS Have your say on 606

"From all this it appears the clear message is that fans in the North side are obviously not happy to watch some of the games from a long distance away, aside from all the disruption faced in the short term.

"For our part it would have been a nonsense with regards to our cash flow to be building a complete stand during next season which would have stood empty until the season after."