PST Share 2025 Fan Survey Findings

Pompey Supporters' Trust have tonight released the results of their recent collaborative fan survey with help from Portsmouth Football Club.

The PST held this supporter survey to gain an improved understand of the priorities and opinions of Pompey supporters, in order to better represent them in meetings with the club. The survey was held between March 2nd and March 16th 2025. 1,010 fans took part.

Report from chairman Donald Vass:

“Thank you to everyone who took part in the PST’s 2025 survey – we’re delighted that over 1,000 Pompey fans gave their time to respond. The results give a really interesting snapshot of supporter opinion on a range of topics, which will help us to better represent the views of tthe wider fanbase in our meetings with the club and the owners. As this is now the second time we’ve run our annual survey, we’re able to draw some useful comparisons to last year. In March 2024, both the Men and Women’s teams were on course to achieve promotion as Champions, whereas both sides are currently battling to stay in the division. With wins now at a premium, it’s to be expected that fans are less buoyant about on-pitch performance, but it’s really pleasing to see that supporter satisfaction has remained at a high level for many other aspects of the club’s work.

“There’s a great deal of fan debate about the concept of ‘financial sustainability’, and indeed whether it’s even an achievable goal in a division where the average loss per club stands at around £13m a year. Financial sustainability has, for the second year running, been a top-three priority for Pompey supporters answering our survey though, highlighting it’s ongoing importance to fans. We wanted to see whether fans were willing to see the club commit to this aspiration even if it meant a lower playing budget, and 68% said they would prefer this to the club becoming increasingly dependent on money from the owners.

“It’s notable that ‘Feeling safe at the stadium’ was the topic with the biggest rise in perceived importance in a season which has seen several significant off-pitch incidents at Fratton Park, and medical emergencies in the stands at both home and away fixtures. In light of this, it’s reassuring that this was the topic fans felt most happy with currently. 89% of fans think our current season ticket prices are fair, and 81% are happy with the club’s away ticket sales policy – up from 74% last season, where we typically had smaller allocations of tickets and fewer games went to general sale. Two points came up repeatedly in your feedback however. Firstly, that loyalty point ‘inflation’ means people feel it’s increasingly hard to access away fixtures. We know the club would like to introduce a rolling window of loyalty points, and we’ll be encouraging them to have this in place ahead of the 25/26 season.

“Secondly, many fans told us they’re keen to get more than £5 credit in return for listing their seat on the ticket exchange. With so many Fratton Park games now selling out, the ticket exchange is an increasingly important part of the ticketing operation, and we’ll be asking the club to review and improve this. The high demand for tickets this season has, in turn, strengthened the case for expanding the stadium, with many fans wanting the owners to act more urgently to increase capacity at Fratton Park.

“This is an issue the PST will continue to bring forward at our Heritage And Advisory Board meetings, where we regularly meet with the owners of the club. Fans are also keen to see further improvements made to Fratton Park, with many fans writing in to request improvements to the North Stand PA system and the introduction of Wi-Fi within the stadium. I’m thrilled that Pompey fans were happy with two of the PST’s big projects from last year, with over 90% of you reporting being pleased with both the street art mural and the ‘125’ tifo display. From a personal point of view, I was really pleased with the logistics and execution of the ‘tifo’ display but agree with feedback which told us the design itself could have been better. We’ve learned a lot about the process and it’s our aspiration to stage an enhanced and improved fan display at a suitable fixture next season. 

“I was also pleased to see so many Pompey fans tell us they’re supportive of the Football Governance Bill, and the introduction of an independent football regulator, with only 6% of respondents against it. This is something the PST has worked towards for a number of years, including an initial evidence session for the Fan-Led Review of Football Governance, and more recent work with the FSA and local MPs. We believe the bill will not only benefit Pompey but improve the future of the wider game, and we look forward to its introduction. Thank you to everyone who took part – we really appreciate your time.

“We take our role seriously and want to represent you as best we can. Play Up Pompey!”

Response from Portsmouth Football Club CEO Andy Cullen:

“We are once again grateful to the Pompey Supporters Trust for investing their personal time designing and developing the second PST Supporter Survey and sharing the responses with the club. The survey provides invaluable insights, observations and constructive suggestions across the key areas that matter most to supporters. We will use the results to help inform our regular engagement with fans and across the many different channels which include the Heritage and Advisory Board; The Tony Goodall Fans Conference; The Matchday Experience Working Group, as well as the various supporter meetings and forums that my colleagues and I are privileged to attend throughout the season.

“We are pleased following the significant investment programme at Fratton Park, that fans continue to feel safe and that ticketing prices are viewed as fair. We will continue to consult with the various working groups on improvements to the Away Ticketing scheme and the Ticket Exchange. The definition of financial sustainability of football clubs can mean different things to different people. Nevertheless, it is heartening that 68% of respondents are in alignment with our strategy not to put the club at risk by overspending.

“The club is fully behind the introduction of The Football Governance Bill and we are reassured that this view is shared by 79% of respondents. The Bill has now progressed from the House of Lords to the Commons and we have been able to have some influence through direct dialogue with the Secretary of State and DCMS officials. We are encouraging them to deliver the Bill at the earliest opportunity to further protect the heritage and long-term financial sustainability of all football clubs, reducing risk and jeopardy through a fairer system of financial distributions.

“Thank you to everyone who participated in the survey and for your support towards helping to improve Portsmouth Football Club for the benefit of everyone within our community. Play up Pompey!"

Key findings:

• The topics fans are most happy with are the matchday experience and atmosphere, the financial sustainability of the club, and feeling safe at the stadium. 
• The topic fans are least happy with is the youth academy. 
• 89% of supporters think current season ticket prices are fair.
• 68% of supporters want the club to operate in a sustainable way, rather than being reliant on money from the owners.
• 97% of supporters were pleased with the PST’s street art mural.
• Only 6% of supporters oppose the Football Governance Bill, and the introduction of an independent football regulator.

Hear reaction to this year's Pompey Supporters' Trust fan survey on the return of The Football Hour - This Friday (April 4th) evening from 6pm!