Portsmouth are likely to have "no alternative" but to close on 10 August

[Westdene Seagull]

Lucky they didn't have that attitude in 1996 eh?

I'm not sure I see the relevance ? We paid ALL our creditors in FULL, partially by selling players which is something Pompey have always seemed not to do ( until now which is rather too late ). We paid the price of over spending when we reached the top with years of lower league crap and balancing on the edge of existence. The difference being we only did it once not the three times Pompey have done it.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

For whatever the reason, I get no real pleasure in seeing any football club going to the wall, all this is just one step closer to the demise of football in this country.

It's been said on here many times before but once the lower clubs start to tumble it will start a trend, a trend no real football fan, whoever you support will want to see!

I think it is a well known fact that most football clubs run with massive debt hanging around their necks, it can't be comfy for them at all.

I still maintain and always will, players at top level just can't be worth more a week than the prime minister of this country gets a year, it's just plain madness in my opinion.

I think you're being slightly over depressive ! While there is indeed a lot of clubs with debt only a very small handful have gone bust over the years. Pompey just seem a big club because they brought that bigness - if they'd balanced the books they wouldn't have won anything nor got to the top flight.

With the new FIFA financial rules coming in and a number of clubs being run soundly ( Arsenal, Swansea and us to name but a few ) things will improve. If there has to be a handful of Pompeys then unfortunately it's probably a price worth paying for putting footballs house in order. In all likelihood it will be teams that have gambled with money to reach the premiership so while I feel sorry for the fans and the staff I have little sympathy for any clubs struggling that have attempted to "buy the dream".

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

but I find it astounding that any true football fan can enjoy the potential demise of a club.

I'd be absolutely delighted if the likes of Man U and Chelsea went tits up.

 

[KJP]

That bell ringer is gonna have to change his name

 

[Hillian1]

I'm not sure I see the relevance ? We paid ALL our creditors in FULL, partially by selling players which is something Pompey have always seemed not to do ( until now which is rather too late ). We paid the price of over spending when we reached the top with years of lower league crap and balancing on the edge of existence. The difference being we only did it once not the three times Pompey have done it.

Actually, we didn't pay ALL our creditors in full. Some of our creditors accepted a payment in the pound to help the Albion, this was a voluntary arrangement and was not imposed by the courts.

That said, I have no sympathy for PFC the club and little sympathy for the fans.

 

[Driver8]

That bell ringer is gonna have to change his name

I can suggest a few alternatives.

 

[gazingdown]

I'm not sure what the problem is. The club got mismanaged and they fooked up and now should pay the price.

The fans need not worry as a "new" club will be formed (they do have their large catchment area so it will happen) and will have to work their way up the league (like Rangers up in Scotland will have to). The benefit will be that the fans can then hold their hands up high as they have a clean new start. If they "survive" by being bailed out somehow they will forever have that hanging round their necks that their club cheated and got away with it. Having to start again from the conference (or wherever) is NOT the end of the world. Of course it will be a bit crap for a few years but in the long run they will be fine, there will always be a "Portsmouth" football club for the fans in some form.

It will also send out a strong message to the rest of the clubs in the league which will be for the greater good of the game. Let's face it, we came to the brink of going out of the league but managed to build and build and get to where we are now.

 

[Seagull on the wing]

As the Bournemouth lurker on here (our m/b is so dull!)..I must admit that the attitude of some (NOT ALL!) Brighton fans regarding this Pompey situation is very suprising. I just thought that of any club, you would know what it feels like being in financial trouble.

There was so much good will towards your club in those days from all of the football world. I know you managed to get a great team of people together to pull you through (to your credit), but don't look down on other clubs beacause they can't do the same...all fans to a degree revel in the good times and don't consider what might happen in the future.

I hope they pull through, but I have a feeling i won't be going to a match on Aug 18th......

I seem to remember on' Fans United' day that there were fans from Bournemouth with a collection bucket going around the ground with a sign saying please help the Cherries and Brighton...just out of interest...how much of the collection went to Bournemouth and how much to Brighton or did it all go on a Jolly Boys outing....?
That aside,I'd hate to see any club go out...that includes Palace...no clubs = no opposition...no opposition...means no games.

 

[Poyetry In Motion]

That bell ringer is gonna have to change his name

As long as he doesn't change it to John Anthony Brighton and Hove Albion Westwood, he can knock himself out

 

[Icy Gull]

It's not gonna happen, it never does except in the case of much smaller clubs like Maidstone and Aldershot. This is just a bluff to get the high wage earners to lower their sights and f*** off somewhere else on the cheap imo.

 

[beorhthelm]

i predict on the 9th August the remaining players on their books will leave on frees, allowing the great white knight Chanrai to ride in and rescue them.

i dont know why he'd want to though, unless to make them bankrupt again and sell off the land, which can be the only reason a non-fan would want any involvment with them now, shirley?

 

[Postman Pat]

As I was coming home from the cricket last night, Alan McLoughlin was on Talksport. He is the development coach there. He was saying the club has been mis-managed for years. He said 4/5 years ago they could have purchased back their training ground for £2m. Instead they went out and spent £2m on a right-back........ the 4th right-back at the club.

 

[LU7 RED]

and Wrexham and Chester and Doncaster. And Bury (buy a seat). We've not forgotten, nor looked down our noses. PFC look like being the exception from us.

Not questioning that -as I said, it just made it a bit suprising some of the attitudes towards Pompey on here, although they are in the minority.

I think the closeness and a bit of rivalry makes a difference too.

Obviously at our end, we hope the Russian doesn't just do a runner and leave us in the poo. You never know we might have some decent matches again like the early 70's (me dad said they were 'interesting')....

 

[maltaseagull]

I would like to know 2 things.

1. The facts about the contracted players and how much they are owed in wages.

and
2. How can they justify taking a squad albeit of youth team and trialists to Spain? They could arrange matches in Hampshire shirley.

 

[TheMajor]

They should be kicked out of the league as a minimum if they survive this, the FA need to grow some fcuking bollocks

Agree with this - serial abusers like Pompey & Palace need to re-start at the bottom.

 

[somerset]

Why would I say, "OK forget that, put me on £5000 a week instead, and you keep the £1.3m you owe me"

.

Just maybe I would yes, if my bank account was already rammed with millions as most of those big earners have.

 

[Hotchilidog]

Not questioning that -as I said, it just made it a bit suprising some of the attitudes towards Pompey on here, although they are in the minority.

I think the closeness and a bit of rivalry makes a difference too.

Obviously at our end, we hope the Russian doesn't just do a runner and leave us in the poo. You never know we might have some decent matches again like the early 70's (me dad said they were 'interesting')....

Pompey, both the club and supporters, have had ample opportunity over the last few years to do something about their plight, yet both have wilfully failed to do so.

The football club have not only defrauded the taxpayer and numerous small businesses, they have also shafted their fellow football clubs by attempting to gain a competitive advantage without having the money to do so. Sadly Pompey are an affront to any well run football club, especially at the lower league level. As a fan base we have not rallied round to help Pompey fans as there hasn't been any fan movement to rally around to help! Aside from the well-meaning but toothless supporters trust we haven't heard a peep from the Pompey fans at all.

I do not buy into the "it's not their fault, what could they do?" argument as the fans of other clubs, not just the Albion, have proved that you can do something if you really want to. Portsmouth Fc are a joke and it is simply not worth saving in it's current form. Whilst I don't think the supporters trust can save the current club, it looks like they are well placed to start a phoenix club, and maybe a "clean" AFC Portsmouth could attract investment from those supporters who do not wish to bail out the current regime.

This whole situation was completely avoidable and Pompey got themselves into it and have no-one else to blame. As has been pointed out earlier on the thread, most of the big earners they are trying to offload were signed after going into administration and the imposition of CVA they haven't even started paying out on yet.

So I'm sad to say f**K them, let them go to the wall and start again, they deserve it.

 

[cjd]

i predict on the 9th August the remaining players on their books will leave on frees, allowing the great white knight Chanrai to ride in and rescue them.

i dont know why he'd want to though, unless to make them bankrupt again and sell off the land, which can be the only reason a non-fan would want any involvment with them now, shirley?

You may well be correct......although I hope it doesn't happen.

One of the reasons Chanrai wants the players off the books is because with them, the wage bill is still horrendously high....reported to be ?..£9.5 million pa.

Portsmouth FC are still due considerable amounts of parachute payments from the Premier League. Should the high earners remain, this money from the League will be swallowed up. However, if the high earners go.......this will leave the parachute payments to be siphoned off by Chanrai, to pay off his 'alledged' £16-18 million of debt to him.

Chanrai has no interest in Portsmouth FC.....the £16-18 million debt was as a result of some dodgy dealing between him and a previous crooked owner of Portsmouth FC.

 

[Everest]

2. How can they justify taking a squad albeit of youth team and trialists to Spain? They could arrange matches in Hampshire shirley.

The trip was paid for by one of their own fans and the Gibraltar FA.
I have no problem with that.

 

[maltaseagull]

The trip was paid for by one of their own fans and the Gibraltar FA.
I have no problem with that.

Me neither- thanks for that.