R's on the Road To.......... Portsmouth.

On Tuesday the unbeaten record is once again on the line as QPR travel to the South Coast as Portsmouth play hosts.
With the R's getting back to winning ways over the weekend and Pompey losing for the first time in six games this looks to be an intriguing encounter and one that the R's will have to be at their best to gain any kind of result.
Here are a few hints and tips for the journey down to Portsmouth.



Club History.

Portsmouth are getting used to life in the second tier having been relegated from the Premier League last season under a cloud of money troubles and administration, which the club have just emerged from.
Portsmouth are no strangers to money troubles. During John Deacon’s time as Portsmouth Chairman the club found itself needing £25,000 to pay off debts and insolvency in 1976. Players were sold to pay off the debts and untried manager Ian St. John was appointed to the hot seat and only had a squad of inexperienced players to work with, as a result the club were relegated to the Fourth Division in 1978.
Alan Ball managed to get the club into the top flight in for the 1987/88 season but midway through the season financial trouble hit the club once more and ultimately played its part in Portsmouth getting relegated that season.
Former QPR Chairman Jim Gregory bought the club from Deacon in 1988.
Another former R joined Portsmouth in 1991 as Jim Smith was appointed manager and with Smith’s belief in the young stars that were emerging at Fratton Park, the club reached the FA Cup Semi Final in the 91/92 season, eventually losing to Liverpool on penalties. The same season saw Pompey miss out on promotion by a solitary goal, West Ham were the team that broke their hearts.
In 1996 Terry Venables took over the club for £1 but in the 1998/99 financial trouble hit the club once again and Milan Mandaric saved the club in May 1999 and under Mandaric the club gained Premier League status after appointing Harry Redknapp as manager. The club remained in the Premier League from then until their relegation last season.
In 2008 Portsmouth won the FA Cup after defeating Cardiff 1-0 in the final. This was Pompey’s second FA Cup success having previously won the competition in 1939.
Pompey’s two other major honours came when they won the First Division title in 1949 and 1950.

The Stadium.

Current capacity – 20,700



Portsmouth play their home games at Fratton Park, in Portsmouth. The ground has been home to the club throughout its entire history.
Plans for relocation were first mooted as long ago as the early 1990s, but due to various objections, the club has continued to play at Fratton Park. As of September 2008, a new stadium is planned for a site offered by the Royal Navy at Horsea Island, between Stamshaw and Port Solent. The new project is also a Herzog & De Meuron design and the plans include an adjacent 10000 capacity indoor arena.
At one end is the Fratton End, which is a new looking single tiered stand. It is of a good size and is the tallest stand at the ground. Opposite is the recently covered Milton End, which is all seated. Part of this stand us given to away fans. There is a small moat in front of this area. Both side stands are two tiered and originally had terracing at the front, which has now been replaced with seating. The South Stand dates back to 1925, and is starting to show its age. However, it still has some character with an old fashioned looking media gantry perched on its roof and raised team dugouts at its front. Opposite the North Stand looks somewhat plain and functional. Both the North & South Stands are two tiered and have a number of supporting pillars. The ground is completed with a superb looking set of tall floodlights that were first used in 1962.
Away fans are housed in the Milton End, which has finally had a roof put on now, so an atmosphere can really be created by the travelling R’s support.


The History between the teams.

At Portsmouth(17)

Portsmouth 7
QPR 5
Draw 5

This is the first time the two teams have met since the 2000/2001 season, where both games ended in 1-1 score lines. The season before the R’s took the spoils at Fratton Park when they triumphed 3-1courtesy of goals from

How to get there.

By Car: - The postcode for Fratton Park is PO4 8RA.
Go down the M27 and continue down until you join the A27. At the Junction with the A2030, turn right and head towards Southsea/Fratton. Continue down this road and you will see the floodlights ahead of you.
For parking there are a few recommendations, there is street parking down the A2030 before you reach the Good Companion pub, you could also park at Miltoncross School (five minutes from the ground) and i costs £6 to park there, postcode for this is PO3 6RB. There’s also a large car park on the corner of Velder Avenue/Milton Road, this costs £5 to park there.

By Train: - The closest station to the ground is Fratton and is a 10 minute walk from the ground. Fratton station has a footbridge as the only way out. At the top of the stairs from the platform turn left onto the footbridge and exit onto Goldsmith Avenue. Turn left along Goldsmith Avenue and walk about half a mile passing straight around a small roundabout. Continue on Goldsmith Avenue, passing Frogmore Road, shortly after this turn left into Apsley Road. The entrances to the Milton End are just ahead.


Pubs 'n' Grub.

Having read up on what pubs to go to I have seen that there are two pubs to avoid the Milton Arms and the Newcome Arms.
Pubs recommend are the Good Companion pub (on the main road A2030, five mins walk from the ground), the Brewers Arms and The Red, White and Blue pub (just off Fawcett Road and a mile away from the ground).
There are plenty of places to eat around the ground, there’s a KFC and McDonalds near the ground, a Harvester is close by and a variety of take-aways can be found down near Fawcett Road.