Pompey Game in doubt ?

[Dirk Gently]

Although I'm sickened at the prospect of a great old club and rival going out of business, leaving the fans bereft in a real football town, I really think it would be better for football at large and for Reading if Portsmouth were liquidated. It's totally unfair that they should intend to play in this league with a number of premier quality players while not being prepared to confront their debts. They should have offloaded the whole squad and started the season with youths.

Their business practices have been nefarious to the point of dishonesty--and I think that will come out in the future. They had no right ever to be signing the likes of Crouch, Defoe, Utaka, Campbell, James, and many other internationals--nor even (and this rankles) to have blagged Smith from under our nose under false pretences (they didn't pay up and their TV money had to be confiscated by the League and redirected to transfer fee-creditors such as Watford). It's cheating, and I'm bewildered it still hasn't stopped.

If Portsmouth are wound up, I'm sure a new club can be formed which, with the support of Pompey fans, should be able to work its way up through the leagues pretty quickly.

People at the Pompey Trust have a "Plan B" option all ready.

[Gunny Fishcake]

Although I'm sickened at the prospect of a great old club and rival going out of business, leaving the fans bereft in a real football town, I really think it would be better for football at large and for Reading if Portsmouth were liquidated. It's totally unfair that they should intend to play in this league with a number of premier quality players while not being prepared to confront their debts. They should have offloaded the whole squad and started the season with youths.

Their business practices have been nefarious to the point of dishonesty--and I think that will come out in the future. They had no right ever to be signing the likes of Crouch, Defoe, Utaka, Campbell, James, and many other internationals--nor even (and this rankles) to have blagged Smith from under our nose under false pretences (they didn't pay up and their TV money had to be confiscated by the League and redirected to transfer fee-creditors such as Watford). It's cheating, and I'm bewildered it still hasn't stopped.

If Portsmouth are wound up, I'm sure a new club can be formed which, with the support of Pompey fans, should be able to work its way up through the leagues pretty quickly.

Spot on and very well said ...

[Snowball]

Agree that it would be good for the game if the FA etc
were NOT kind. Once a few clubs go to the wall, the
wind of change may just start blowing

[Avon Royal]

They haven't paid their taxes and if they won't/can't do so then they should be wound up.

The fact they are a football business is neither here nor there. There should be the same law for all.

[The Real Sandhurst Royal]

What haapens if Pompey are wound up.... do we get our money back for the tickets purchased for the fixture on the 14th August?

[weybridgewanderer]

What haapens if Pompey are wound up.... do we get our money back for the tickets purchased for the fixture on the 14th August?

Unlikely, might depend if thje club have passed you moeny on to pompie already or not

[RFCMod]

Agree that it would be good for the game if the FA etc
were NOT kind. Once a few clubs go to the wall, the
wind of change may just start blowing

Fat chance, as long as theres idiots pumping billions into the Prem the Football League will always be the poor relation and overlooked
Now if a couple of Prem clubs went to the wall there would be uproar

The true heart of football as it has for many years is going to ruin due to money

[Big Foot]

Hope Portsmouth FC as we know it die

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

There has always been a Portsmouth FC in my lifetime, and it is a part of teams I can remember , so as a fan they have a space in my life.

However the way that some folk ran the club was disgusting and against all ideas of fairness and decency. I think they should now have to take the hit and start again, the fans will stay with them, as it is what fans do.

[andrew1957]

Although I'm sickened at the prospect of a great old club and rival going out of business, leaving the fans bereft in a real football town, I really think it would be better for football at large and for Reading if Portsmouth were liquidated. It's totally unfair that they should intend to play in this league with a number of premier quality players while not being prepared to confront their debts. They should have offloaded the whole squad and started the season with youths.

Their business practices have been nefarious to the point of dishonesty--and I think that will come out in the future. They had no right ever to be signing the likes of Crouch, Defoe, Utaka, Campbell, James, and many other internationals--nor even (and this rankles) to have blagged Smith from under our nose under false pretences (they didn't pay up and their TV money had to be confiscated by the League and redirected to transfer fee-creditors such as Watford). It's cheating, and I'm bewildered it still hasn't stopped.

If Portsmouth are wound up, I'm sure a new club can be formed which, with the support of Pompey fans, should be able to work its way up through the leagues pretty quickly.

Spot on.

I posted similar sentiments on BBC 606 Portsmouth yesterday - only for the BBC to moderate it and delete the thread last night - which annoyed me - even though a sensible non abusive debate had followed all afternoon -

[Dirk Gently]

Although I'm sickened at the prospect of a great old club and rival going out of business, leaving the fans bereft in a real football town, I really think it would be better for football at large and for Reading if Portsmouth were liquidated. It's totally unfair that they should intend to play in this league with a number of premier quality players while not being prepared to confront their debts. They should have offloaded the whole squad and started the season with youths.

Their business practices have been nefarious to the point of dishonesty--and I think that will come out in the future. They had no right ever to be signing the likes of Crouch, Defoe, Utaka, Campbell, James, and many other internationals--nor even (and this rankles) to have blagged Smith from under our nose under false pretences (they didn't pay up and their TV money had to be confiscated by the League and redirected to transfer fee-creditors such as Watford). It's cheating, and I'm bewildered it still hasn't stopped.

If Portsmouth are wound up, I'm sure a new club can be formed which, with the support of Pompey fans, should be able to work its way up through the leagues pretty quickly.

Spot on and very well said ...

And there are quite a few Pompey fans who do feel the same way - draw a line under the past and start again.

[Gunny Fishcake]

What haapens if Pompey are wound up.... do we get our money back for the tickets purchased for the fixture on the 14th August?

RFC will refund your money , absolutely no question ...... as deadline looms today with Pompey this will no doubt be a test case , as the evidence stands they should be wound up just like any other business large or small would be if you owed money to the tax man...they rule supreme .....I feel the fear is this could be the first card to topple and the whole pack will come tumbling down and football will implode...it's probably coming one day , just a matter of when and if the judge has the balls to make the right judgement...we don't know all the lobbying going on behind the scenes but you can be assured it will be as grubby and slimey as the pariahs who bleed the game and it's true fans dry .

[NR_Royal]

ESPN Classic just showed the 7-4 game. It's showing again at 4.10pm. Bastards.

[Wimb]

And right now it's the playoff final

[tomrfcurz]

[Ups and Downs]

And right now it's the playoff final

Ugh! Why did I watch that? I always remembered Quinns goal being thumped from outside the area but it was just outside the 6 yard box. Weird!

[themadstad]

The appeal lodged by HMRC looks a bit weak to me. Over image rights paid in to offshore accounts. They'd need good evidence if this.

I've also read they aren't happy that footballers get full repayments. However, that's just as they come at the top of the list of creditors like employees for other businesses.

HMRC would need 25% of debt to block the CVA agreement which is 20p in the £1. The £24mill Portsmouth so they owe doesn't meet that required. However, the extra £13mill HMRC say they are owed does.

If they can't prove this the CVA will go through as it had 81% agreement where the minimum is 75%.

I see this going to the court of appeal but it'll be appealed by HMRC as I see the judge ruling in favour of Portsmouth.

[Dirk Gently]

The appeal lodged by HMRC looks a bit weak to me. Over image rights paid in to offshore accounts. They'd need good evidence if this.

I've also read they aren't happy that footballers get full repayments. However, that's just as they come at the top of the list of creditors like employees for other businesses.

HMRC would need 25% of debt to block the CVA agreement which is 20p in the £1. The £24mill Portsmouth so they owe doesn't meet that required. However, the extra £13mill HMRC say they are owed does.

If they can't prove this the CVA will go through as it had 81% agreement where the minimum is 75%.

I see this going to the court of appeal but it'll be appealed by HMRC as I see the judge ruling in favour of Portsmouth.

See here : viewtopic.php?f=3&t=99943 for a discussion of the Football Creditor's Rule.

[Gordons Cumming]

If Pompey die will we try to get Tommy Smith on a free?

[Tazewell Royal]

If Pompey die will we try to get Tommy Smith on a free?

Surely he'll be going to Swansea.