EFL club pitch ruined for final game of season after two fans scatter HUMAN ASHES on turf celebrating promotion
PORTSMOUTH’S turf was ruined after two fans spread HUMAN ASHES on the field during a pitch invasion at Fratton Park.
The South Coast side beat Barnsley 3-2 on April 16 to clinch promotion back to the Championship for the first time in 12 years, while they also won the League One title in the process.
Pompey supporters flooded onto the pitch immediately after the final whistle as scenes of jubilation ensued.
But the BBC have now revealed two fans took the opportunity to spread ashes onto the field of play.
Human ashes contain contain calcium and calcium phosphate which can kill grass.
This is said to have “proved a challenge” for the ground staff ahead of Portsmouth‘s final home game of the season against Wigan.
The penalty area and centre circle were understood to be the most affected areas.
However, the match still went ahead as the third-tier champions were beaten 2-1 at home on Saturday.
It was their first home defeat in nine matches, a run that stretched back to mid-January.
But it will have come as little surprise to many as just four days earlier some of the Pompey players were thrown out of a pub after their promotion celebrations got out of hand.
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That came after Portsmouth fans were condemned for appearing to attack a Barnsley player during their pitch invasion.
Regarding the incident, Hampshire Police told SunSport: “We are aware of this incident, but at this time we have no official complaint in relation to it.”
It was Pompey’s first pitch invasion since May 2017 when they earned promotion from League Two.
Maintenance will take place on the pitch during the summer, with part of it set to be covered by a crane as work begins on a new gantry at the top of the South Stand.