Generic clubs in financial crisis Thread

[Hoop Blah]

What would be the benefit to moving them?

Unlike Wimbledon they have a half decent ground, a very healthy support and a town that is right behind the team.

The only problem they have is that they spent well beyond their means for a couple seasons of success. I can't think of any reason to relocate.

[Hoop Blah]

Very good chance Portsmouth will get help from the Premier League.
They'll avert the winding-up if so.

They might delay it but the PL won't be able to avert it for ever if the club is insolvent. All that would happen woul dbe what happened to Gretna in Scotland where the club folded (in effect) with all but a skeleton staff made redundant and the league paying players until the end of the season. Players would effectively be free agents and the best would disappear before the end of the season anyway but the PL would get it's fixtures completed. Once Pompey were relegated the issue goes away for the PL as they would no longer be members.

How could the players disappear? Do you mean on loan?

One thing is for sure the PL will do everything they can to make sure they see out the rest of the season.

[Sun Tzu]

What would be the benefit to moving them?

Unlike Wimbledon they have a half decent ground, a very healthy support and a town that is right behind the team.

The only problem they have is that they spent well beyond their means for a couple seasons of success. I can't think of any reason to relocate.

If they woned the land around the ground then a move would allow themto sell it and probably clear their debts. Shame they don;t own it, and as you rightly point out it would be a very short term move. Unless they relocated within a shortish distance (I hear there is a pretty new and rather underused ground in Southampton...)

[Stranded]

If they were made free agents in those circumstances they would be free to move outside of the transfer windows and play for their new clubs.

[Sun Tzu]

Very good chance Portsmouth will get help from the Premier League.
They'll avert the winding-up if so.

They might delay it but the PL won't be able to avert it for ever if the club is insolvent. All that would happen woul dbe what happened to Gretna in Scotland where the club folded (in effect) with all but a skeleton staff made redundant and the league paying players until the end of the season. Players would effectively be free agents and the best would disappear before the end of the season anyway but the PL would get it's fixtures completed. Once Pompey were relegated the issue goes away for the PL as they would no longer be members.

How could the players disappear? Do you mean on loan?

One thing is for sure the PL will do everything they can to make sure they see out the rest of the season.

IIRC ( and I could be wrong) the Gretna situation meant players were effectively released from their contracts with the club and effectively became free agents but were paid to play at Gretna on a match by match basis. As free agents they were able to sign for new clubs ( I have seen discussions regarding David james suggesting that if Pompey went bust he would be able to sign for a new club straight away).

Not sure whether I have it all right but I think you'd see most of Pompey's players exiting pretty quickly and them carrying on with a mix of pros, kids and whoever they could get to play for them for the final few games, meaning everyone would be guaranteed 3 points.

[Jerry St Clair]

What would be best would be if someone buys Pompé and then relocates them to another location à la MK Dons, who would have also gone bust too.

Franchise FC's may unfortunately end up becoming the 'saviour' of football

Surely an AFC Portsmouth would quickly be formed and playing in the Ryman South or similar?

[Hoop Blah]

Perhaps there is a special exception clause then for players at clubs that go bust. Any other player that's made a free agent after transfer window closes wouldn't be able to play for a new club until the next window opens.

It would make sense that there might be a clause in there so that players not being paid up could go and get a new employer though.

[Silver Fox]

One thing is for sure the PL will do everything they can to make sure they see out the rest of the season.

While this is true I'm not entirely sure what they can do that can make Pompey solvent, which is their issue

[Sun Tzu]

Perhaps there is a special exception clause then for players at clubs that go bust. Any other player that's made a free agent after transfer window closes wouldn't be able to play for a new club until the next window opens.

It would make sense that there might be a clause in there so that players not being paid up could go and get a new employer though.

I believe it is because their registration reverts to the league in the case of the club folding, whereas if a player is simply 'released' he is still technically registered by the club (he's only been released from his contract with the club).

[Hoop Blah]

But surely the ruling on players from other non-bankrupt clubs is that they were registered for a club at the close of the window not that they're registration is nolonger held by anyone.

I'm sure a club can release a players registration as well as just their contract.

One thing is for sure the PL will do everything they can to make sure they see out the rest of the season.

While this is true I'm not entirely sure what they can do that can make Pompey solvent, which is their issue

Agreed, but what I meant was that Pompey won't just be left on their own to sort out their own mess. The PL will try everything they can, whatever that turns out the be!

[Sun Tzu]

But surely the ruling on players from other non-bankrupt clubs is that they were registered for a club at the close of the window not that they're registration is nolonger held by anyone.

I'm sure a club can release a players registration as well as just their contract.

As i said i'm not 100% sure of the mechanics behind it but I am fairly sure that should the club effectively fold, and even if it is propped up by the PL, players would be allowed to join new clubs. I don;t think comparing what would happen if a funtioning club released a player helps understand anything, we're talking about a totally different scenario here.

[Stranded]

I think insurance would play a big part - when Gretna went the players were no longer insured against injury I guess the same would occur at Pompey.

[Hoop Blah]

I agree there is a world of difference in the situations Sun Tzu, and that it would be totally reasonable for an exception to exist, I was just musing on the differences.

Be interesting to see what the reality is.

[handbags_harris]

I think insurance would play a big part - when Gretna went the players were no longer insured against injury I guess the same would occur at Pompey.

That is exactly what happened with Weymouth last season.

One week on February: Torquay United 0-2 Weymouth
Next week in February: Weymouth 0-9 Rushden & Diamonds

After the Torquay match the first team players were informed that they would have no insurance because the club couldn't afford to pay for it, and I think I'm right in saying that the club said if they wanted to leave the club then they would leave with the club's blessing as it would help them with their financial difficulties. The whole first team squad agreed to that, so Weymouth had to field kids for the remainder of the season. It didn't seem fair on the face of it as each team that was required to play Weymouth after that was all but guaranteed three points and a hefty boost to their goal difference, but Weymouth fulfilled their obligations in fielding a team for each of their remaining fixtures. Weymouth are still going though. The same almost certainly can't be said for Portsmouth in a few weeks time

[Hoop Blah]

Weymouth are still going partly because of all the winnings the fans made, and then donated to the club, on the back of betting on them losing that first game playing just the kids.

The bookies hadn't got wind of the first team walking out and so had them at totally the wrong odds.

I'm not sure what happened about the Weymouth players finding new clubs, or even what the transfer window rules are that low down the leagues.

[Uke]

What would be the benefit to moving them?

Unlike Wimbledon they have a half decent ground, a very healthy support and a town that is right behind the team.

The only problem they have is that they spent well beyond their means for a couple seasons of success. I can't think of any reason to relocate.

If they woned the land around the ground then a move would allow themto sell it and probably clear their debts. Shame they don;t own it, and as you rightly point out it would be a very short term move. Unless they relocated within a shortish distance (I hear there is a pretty new and rather underused ground in Southampton...)

LOL!

If another council wanted to raise their profile, they would maybe give land to build a new stadium on or rent it at low rate. MK were keen to have a team so they helped the Dons move.

The Pompey land would be sold and the debts settled, the AFC club would allow the hard core of fans to have a team.

There are probably areas of the country (Cornwall? Truro? Penzance?) Where a team would be welcomed and have enough local support to sustain a level of footie.

Though they could move to Yorkshire and then you'd have "eh ooop Pompay"

[Sun Tzu]

The Pompey land would be sold and the debts settled, the AFC club would allow the hard core of fans to have a team.

Big problem is Pompey don;t own the land so the only one to benefit from a sale would be Gaidemark, who held on to all the surrounding land. It probably means even the small footprint of Fratton Park itself is unsaleable as there is probably no usable access that doesn;t run across Gaidemark's land.

[Mr Angry]

If Pompey go, then the liquidators will be able to sell the ground; it will be worth a small fortune as real estate. That would help pay off the creditors.

[Mr Angry]

Court date has now been set; the hearing is now on Monday March 1st.

Still have to produce the financial statement by next Wednesday though.

[Pseud O'Nym]

If Pompey go, then the liquidators will be able to sell the ground; it will be worth a small fortune as real estate. That would help pay off the creditors.

But if Balram Chainrai owns the ground, as has been reported, will the liquidators be in a position to sell it?