Frank's cousin

... Matty, decent bloke, legend ...Franny, decent bloke, legend (to a lesser degree ;-) Dispute with NC over Property - PRIVATE business ...Problem = The moment the dispute is brought up in public and comments made about the chairman and club it becomes an issue for the club and NC. Because the media latch on and make it a bigger issue and it reflects badly on the club and its business - sorry but you cant keep saying you love the club, when you know what you are saying (whether truth, fiction, ego driven or justified is irrelevent) has a detrimental effect in any way, be it spliting the fan base, painting the club in a bad light etc. Especially when its over a PRIVATE dispute.

' The PFA called the FL to understand WHY they did not want the Harris bid to go ahead'... seems fair to me, as they had seen that the Harrris bid would pay off their members quicker (and possibly with a better guarantee) than PST.... DOING THEIR FECKING JOB... ... The PFA is NOT charged with ensuring Pompey survive, but with protecting the rights of their members - what the feck is not to understand? ...If PST had a bid that actually looked solid enough and ensured the PFA members/football creditors would actually get their money within a fair and realistic timeframe, then the PFA would not be bothered about the Harris bid... and the PST publically declaring they want/need to renegotiate again with the PFA members will not have given teh PFA much confidence on the PST bid... Penny MP (Munching Pies) is not stupid... she knows exactly that she is talking sheidt, but its sheidt that resonates with voters.... as any politician would do.

As always Rally you hit the proverbial nail on squarly on its head.... Te fact that they have had 4 years of opportunity to cut their cloth, do all they could to resolve the situation and done the exact opposite - taken on players they could not afford .... building a second debt legacy.... and a third looks likely if the PST take over, starting with loans, deferred payments to other creditors and having to have sold their 'soul' as a vast chunk of the only genuine equity to the HINWs - so they will begin tehir new life not owning the majority stake, having deferred payments to creditors looming and with loans... so what will have changed?

The TV money increases are a bit of a red herring really as in reality ALL clubs get them, but the increase is biggest for those already at the top and the clubs that the appear more frequently for the armchair fans - It increases he gap further in revenue terms between the top and bottom of the league, so if anything, there is an even greater incentive to get higher up the league as quuickly as possible. Some worry about the word 'brand' - Again forget plastic merchandise and global audiences diluting our culture, but think about what it really is about. Firtsly Saints seem comfortable mentioning our ambition frequently - yep some laugh, the cold cynics who seem to perfect for the the premierleague mentality that seems to encourage teams to 'know their place' - but this stated 'ambition' is about positioning saints to the young players, new players and new fans as an ambitious and 'exciting' place - a club that is NOT aiming for 17th each season and seeing that as success, but one that says to young players, stay or come here and we WILL achieve things. The way we are trying to play is attractive to neutrals as well as fans, and that means greater exposure and potentially more live games = relatively more revenue. So teh brand is not about 'seeling out', but about 'selling' our culture to a greater audience and those players that before may have left the moment someone comes calling, to make them think twice aand appreciate we are about opportunity. The Ramierez transfer was about more than the debate on how he will fit in and whether he was worth the 12 mil - sure he will need to justify his price tag and do the business but it was also about putting these words in to action. The cynics may well prove to be right in that the odds are against a side of our size breaking into that elite group and competing regularly - 40 years ago they would have been much lower, but in the modern age, where players earn image rights form global exposure, the 'want it now' culture and agents pushing for transfers and the media obsession with 2 or 3 clubs and the 'natural order' , it will be much harder to establish NCs vision of retaining the best youth and attracting high quality young players to complement.... but should teh difficulty of a challenge stop you attempting it? But whether they are proven to be right or wrong is frankly irrelevent to most fans - because if there is one thing most fans want to see its a clear statement of ambition and actions that back it up and we cant say we have not done that. How much cash we have available to fund it, whether NC will stay, what new owners may come in and what that means , NONE OF US KNOW.. but you have to be a complete miserable fricken arse not to be enjoying the the idea, aspiration and shear potential rollercoaster of it all.

Thats the whole point though - things can change very quickly - with money and when it dries up, unless there is sustainable sponsorship at a much higher level etc. The best guess is that we have a FINITE amount that may or not be invested to get us to the point where the infrastructure ensures better sustainability and the club as a 'brand' is worth more from a sponsorship and commercial perspective. Being the banker he is, NC will appreciate that this is a calculated risk - and that money will need to be invested if the club is ever to be sold for a maximum return. I dont have any worries about what will ahppen to the club whilst Cortese is here - he wants to be seen as the person who took us to new heights.... I would be more concerned about what comes next.... leveraged buyouts, and all that crap that goes with it is a possibility....and there are some who still welcome the day NC leaves... mental. They would do well to remember the old adage 'careful what you wish for'

It may come as a surprise to the Coc Suckers, that I would not be surprized if we were sold within 2-3 years.. but you can bet that if that is the case it would be at a point when we are woth the maximum possible to NC and the Liebherrs and that would mean being a side capabke of being in the top 6 or better...

might be best not to post it as the figures are probably not known to anyone... its a dark mess of numbers.

Think the total including football creditors was over 100 mil, with 80mil dilute to 20 mil for non secured creditors IRRC. I have presumed that the football creditors were paid pout of previous parachutes, but not sure

Trousers - up to you, but best to correct the typos first - will go back and edit

Mr Blackmore please consider this.... you are correct that from a non-footballing perspective the Football Creditors Rule is unfair and when a business fails, administrators and liquidators should be able to ensure all creditors get an equal share of any monies offered by purchasers as part of the CVA. But the football creditors rule has to remain until clubs cannot be trusted to only buy and pay players wages that are sustainable and ensure a fair competition... in Portsmouth's case they have already diluted the amount owed to players, and thus shows they gained an unfair competitive advantage and did not even have to pay for it - how can this be fair? How can it be justified without considerable punishment? How will you stop clubs from risking all if they know that when it comes down to it, a CVA of 0.2 p in pound will get them out the hole and any success achieved along the way will be in the record books no matter how tarnished it is? Come on, you tell me? The only reason why this is now rearing its head again, is because it appears the PST can't afford the agreed repayment or schedule, already substantially reduced through compromise agreements with players... The club have cheated the game, cheated the creditors... and yet no one points out the simple facts this case. £120mil of debt from administration 3 years ago, which after football creditors paid was diluted to 20mil and not a penny paid..... second Admin in 2 years £68 mil of debt, likely to be diluted to 12 mil or so if the court agree to PFKs valuation of fratton at 3 mil.... now the PST want to further change the terms on the compromise agreements with players.... and quite rightly the PFA is defending its members - yet fans of that club refuse to accept that the club has in anyway benefitted on the field through this cheating... You and other Journo's need to wake up and see what this is really about and its not rivalry Its the cheating and implication for football that makes fans angry. Its the rivalry that makes us now laugh at their predicament and enjoy the schardenfreude - you would do well to note the difference.

Yep, wthout a doubt. I think the problem is that folks are confusing possibl with probabilty etc. Even if we invested 100mil in the summer in players, there is no guarrantee we would end up in the top 6 - all that would happen is the probability would increase. Everyone I think appreciates that at this current time the probability of a CL is extremely low, even if its possible. NC's 'project' is all about improving the probabilty that e could at some point be competitive enough to push into the top 6 and then who knows -The infrastructure, academy investments and his direct and 'ruthless' decision making are all designed to improve our chances. Of course many other clubs are doing the same thing at the same time so, its far from easy to see exactly how its going to make it more probable. Some interpret this as impossible and laugh, others see the fact that we at least have a chairman that has set a high goal rather than just accepting our 'natural place' as a positive thing...and given how far we have come in the last 3 years, would not put it past him. He sems to have a structured and phased strategy and is not afraid of how this will go down with some fans when 'difficult' decisions need to be made. He will make mistakes, luck and other variables will play a big part, but is very odd that some seem to mock the very idea... As to those who laugh and poor scorn...I can only think that you have your priorities wrong - the only reason for even being concerned about the reality, possibilty or probability seems because you are overly concerned with other fans laughing at you/us.... fragile egos... let them laugh and enjoy the ride.

... I know , I know, must calm down... to be fair my typing is pretty pants anyway because of RA in hands, but you are correct... the fact that they are too STUPID to get it , I can sort of understand...its the resultant bleating for sympathy that winds me up good and proper.

DP, As i underestood it, the Administrators role is to first see if there is a viable way of keeping the company going. That task obviously involves getting agreement from creditors on how much in the pound they would settle on and over what timescale - because in theory, keeping the business as a going concern should be the best deal for creditors lobg term.... however as you point out, if the creditors have no interest in the business as a going concern and just want their money, then liquidation is the best option if assets are available to give them a better deal than any purchase... problem for creditors is that there are only 2 real assetts -the PPs and Fratton park land. The PPs as he will see, are all spoken for for the football creditors and Fratton has Chinneys charge, so for the non secured creditors the best deal IS a takeover even if its 500k amongst the lot of them as on liquidation they would get nothing - but chinney and most likely the Footballl creditors would get whats theirs direct from the PP via the PFA... Maybe the biggest irony in all this is that Chinney is actually saving them... its only because he is owed 18 mil and not say 3 mil that they are still going, becaus ehe wants his money back, and the best way for that to happen is for FP to be used as a ground he paid 1mil a year rent for 15 years or so, or b) its flattenend and sold for redevelopment. At the moment redevelopment is not an option so he's holding out...and we have the court case...

Not sure how PST can say that PFA members wil get diddly if pompey go into liquidation - I thought the PPs would go traight to PFA in that case anyway? So obvious that for the PST bid to work they need to get the PP payments as cash - to underwrite the Council loan (possibly why coucil solicitor is requiring adjournment as risk has increased if PFA not going to gove up PPs)... in effect using some to buy stadum and some as operating cash with football creditors being paid a reduced amount on a reduced amount for them to survive.... Now correct me if I am wrong, but surely whether the football creditors accept less once, twice or 3 times should be irrelevent. The SPIRIT of the rule is they should be paid in FULL. Because those players who turned up at pompey gave them an unfair competitive advantage and would not have turned out for pompey had they known what little worth their contracts were - even if they agree to now acept 40-60% it should make feck all difference, They still benefitted from players who would not have signed under the current compromise. players better than their competition was able to afford and all we hear is this constant frickin bleating about how unfair it all is.... THAT is why I have no sympathy, they simply DO NOT get it - This can only lead to the conclusion that they really ARE ALL thick as shiedt down that way - because its not jsut jingoistic fans, but 'journo's, MPs and councilors... none of whom have demanded that the simple acknowledgemnet, that if they want to come out of this with any integrity, they MUST frst stop trying to constantly get away with not paying anyone.... they have done thsi for the last 5-6 years and look where its got them... how the feck can that fat MP say those things... complete lack of integrity.... fits right in with that crowd donw there.

How could we forget Uncle Monty - and his cabbages - 'I mean to have you, even if its burglary' - amazingly funny whilst carry an undercurrent of the cultural shifts from the 60s to 70s.... a story of unrequited love?

Tis good....Ja

And no one needs to kiss your ring... thank f...!

He will - whats more we should not be worried about about having 4-6 players who can play in that forward 3 of of the 4231. I suspect that next season, he will work more on these 3 interchanging, swopping positions when we attack - that fluidity will be critical to when others think they have worked us out. There will also be times when we cant press for 90 minutes in all games - we will need to vary things now and again to keep teh opposition guessing - Ramierz could work very well dropping back a bit and marshalling and looking for that creative pass - but also burst forward. We need a squad for this style and I think Ramirez will play his part. I think he was brought back in too early following his injury, needs a little more time to settle, but we have seen he has class - the boy will do well.

Corrected it for you

Huge amount of hypocracy in the media though.... how they all cheered his 'dentist chair' goal celebrations immediately after chastising him for the pre EURO 96 escapades in Hong Kong. For any one with a personality issue as Greevsie points out, who needs to be liked, this country and its obsession with needing to get bladdered to have a good time, meant Gazza's 'best mates' were those who 'enjoyed a drink' - and where are they now? When he played he probably had enough dry days when training etc for it not to become an issue, but even then he tended to binge with his fat belly mates... when the football stopped, he had little else. Its very sad this happens to anyone, but I dont believe he should be singled out for the collective national sympathy as so often happens with famous people - there are thousands of others in the same boat who get little or less support and sympathy...

Fargo - always a good yarn Its a Wonderful Life at Chrimbo feelgood

I understood the Gaffer was the master of comedy... but it all gets a bit mysterious and all that... Gaffer is good mates with Matt, so think you have the wrong Gaffer

Dinger, If I got the wrong end of the stick, then I apologise unreservedly. But given the context of the context of the thread and the recent spate of thinly disgusied or at times blatent prejudice expressed, I hope you can see how easy it was to misinterpret. I am sorry for any offence caused.

Probably the best and most balanced interview he has given and clearly, I think he has learned a thing or two about not being hood winked by media questions designed to provoke or tease things out. One thing that was interesting was he stated that their falling out had nothing to do with the footballing issues... which kind of confirms its about those off the pitch matters that he has alluded to in the past. The frustration I feel is that when you hear Matt talk like he did then, you just so wish that there was a way this could be sorted and he be welcomed back to fold - and that we dont ever need to hear what will 'come out one day' etc, which will be mud slinging about issues that are between them and no one else really. Its easy and lazy to label fans as either pro or against, but there is a huge amount of truth in what Matt said, that for most when things have gone so well on the pitch these last few years, no one wants the distraction of off the field mud slinging - In some respects, I guess there is a feeling that the on the field progress is a direct result of the ruthless drive and determination and would we have gotten this far so quickly without that style of leadership, even if it is not to everyones taste? I guess I look back on when we had fan friendly, 'nice' well intentioned, yet ultimately naive board members in charge - a bad situation made worse by a lack of real focus and strong leadership that was TOO focussed on ensuring fan acceptance. I know that in an ideal world we would have the happy medium, but we do not live in an ideal world, and so the only way we can really judge how the club is being run is by how it performs on the pitch and the pace of progress we make. Cortese is looking to bake the mother of all red and white cakes and is not afraid to break as many eggs as necessary in the process, its a with him or against him approach, that makes some feel uncomfortable, but its working.

Very clear that both those guys had not seen us play much at all - Very clear we have been trying to play as we did against City for a while, and we are finally getting the results we deserved.... whereas they hey its was a 'raise their game' job because of who we were playing...