rallyboy

bloody hell Phil, I thought you'd slipped through onto the dark side for a moment there. I still see their financial planning as built on sand, with further charges to come.

and AA seems convinced that the club will now be self-funding. On 10,000 gates and a £10K a week wage cap, with Storrie back in doing the accounts. So he doesn't need a new owner or further investment, the glory days are around the corner!

anyone who wasn't moved by Matt's goal against Arsenal at The Dell has the emotional detachment of a serial killer and should seek immediate counselling. I think we've established since that the whole ground was choking back a tear and covering it up by putting on sunglasses or coughing in a manly way. Relegation is a slow and predictable process and for me is less sad than leaving a ground which holds so many memories - it's saying goodbye to decades of your life and to many people, and Matt provided the perfect farewell moment.

I've wasted 332 posts of my life on this thread, and to think I was going for quality over quantity...and now some geek will tell me that 90% of my total posts are on here. Maybe I would rather do gags about Pompey's appalling mismanagement and their staff's massage habits than discuss whether some bloke in the pub says that our season ticket prices are going up/down/staying the same.

Storrie didn't bother to include the small matter of wages into his calculations. The sums are quite simple Buy five players, make huge profit on one, break even on two, lose money on two = no money lost overall, and let's not forget the bonus opportunity to deal personally with the agents.... The transfer deals look okay when you don't take into account agent fees and wages, and there were so many deals it's as if someone was getting paid just for signing players. Even since January I would estimate that the handful of additions to the squad have cost the administrator/club over £5M in 'fees', wages, contract buy outs and little extras, more than sensibly-run competing club's budgets. That was not 'poor plucky Pompey' making it to Wembley, that was a club still paying over the odds for average players to strengthen their squad whilst trading insolvently. Paying ludicrous wages that the club can't afford is clearly cheating. When Crouch was lured from Champion's League football with his wages doubled the alarm bells should have been a ringing. When Arsenal couldn't match Diarra's wage demands but Pompey could, it was obvious what was going wrong, and the debts just kept climbing. And when they lost their main source of grubby money did they slow the spending? No, they changed up into fifth and drove the bus over the cliff. Now they seem surprised to find themselves on the rocks - then again who could have predicted the situation we now see. (other than about 1,000 people on here, or a six year old with a basic grasp of numbers)

so AA's not sure if James is ready for management then... Is David James impressed to hear a crap bean-counter announcing his opinion on an international footballer's credentials?? In defence of the one worthy human being on their books one might observe that he could fairly respond - 'stick to book-cooking and thieving you crook, stick your football opinions where the sun don't shine!' The administrator is meant to be sorting the business for creditors not posing about in the papers and signing autographs, methinks he's enjoying the glamour and the bright lights of downtown Fratton too much.

just curious, how are they financing the business at the moment? is someone slipping parachute payments under the counter or is Chanrai pouring his children's inheritance down a black hole? There's a lot of wages that need to be paid before they see any income and every other club that has gone into admin has struggled from week to week. They seem to be carrying on regardless - so as Dinenage would say, how?

The FA is waiting patiently and has made noises before about the club not being under their jurisdiction until June 3rd - I think we will see fireworks after that, or at least the toaster coming out of it's box. And I don't see why the taxman would write off chasing the £35M to try and get something out of the likes of Storrie, their main target must still be the business itself. So that little light at the end of their tunnel is in fact the taxman and the FA adjusting the sights on a Gaydamak autograph edition rocket launcher.

a dreamer with no cash waiting on a fantasist making it up as he goes. Not exactly a heavyweight battle of wills, or the potential for a happy ending. Less like Pinnacle, more Laurel and Hardy.

simply the gamble would not be for the faint-hearted, the overheads and running costs are still too much. An immediate return could cover costs after a couple of years without further penalties but as we have said since the start, there are far more attractive propositions available. Chanrai has put himself in pole position in the worst Grand Prix in history, he could do something with the ground if the whole football club thang fell apart and get some money, but a new owner would have to be insane to put in the investment required with a slim chance of returns on it. Better investments at the moment would include clubs like Leeds, even Millwall if they make it up - that's how far Pompey's stock has fallen. The cold reality is ignored by fans who just look at what happens on the pitch, as a post-admin club we know better than that these days - we look at the small print like balance sheets etc! Forget all the spin and the hype and the bravado from the few, after 524 pages they have still failed to find the one thing they need, a buyer. Hard cash is still the only answer to their situation and without it there will be no return.

so AA is kindly telling West Ham that he won't demand compensation (as legally he can't) and he's wasting most of his time on a Europa application that is two months late, won't even be looked at, and they don't meet any of the criteria. As an administrator, why doesn't he try some administrating? Even one day a week might help. Or is he still sulking because he wanted to be mascot at Wembley? Methinks he's a little bit simple.

if for the first time they're realistic about trying to address the finances they need to lose everyone and start again. Even the poorest performing players on that list must be on over-inflated wages as it was the Storrie way. Either they clear out and concentrate on getting the finances back on track (using the sexy total football path) or they continue the madness until the taxman shuts the ground forever. The shrewd plan would be to finish one place above relegation with a lean and restructured club that's heading towards self-financing. Their crushing new £10K wagecap must be similar to Burnley's standard trading idea when they were solvent and in the Prem, AA hasn't suggested a revolutionary new moneysaver, it's a bit steep for a crippled championship club on low gates. If they retain anyone on stupid money they need a rich new owner, and they don't have one, so it's a simple decision. Based on recent history - the chances of them doing the sensible and honest thing? Zero.

they seem to have broken his spirit rather quickly despite his Martin Luther King/Winston Churchill moment. 'I'm off' could be the first sensible thing he's said for six months, first task will be to try and explain to the West Ham fans why he doesn't rate them as highly as the few, and why his recent league record is by far inferior to Zola's and if repeated would lead to relegation in February. Is his statue going next to Harry's or Storrie's? Avram will be happy, the fans say they will 'love him long time' and he likes that sort of thing.

yes he was technically playing for West Ham, but Harry was slipping him a few quid as part of the deal that took Begovic to Stoke and saw Higgins lose to Steve Davis, a knock on from the day that Segers dived over three Everton shots in fifteen minutes and Matt kicked it out for a throw from the kick off - all above board.

I think we 've established that it wouldn't have made the top five of great underdog victories had they won - and they didn't, so it doesn't matter! Any news yet on pervy Grant's appeal against the free kick? It was a plot by the FA and the Premier League to break their spirit, but they never will, oh no, passion, best fans, blah, blah, blah........idiot. I wonder what the likes of Barcelona and the Milans make of it when they see a big Carling Cup night at Fratton Park on the telly and the ludicrous claim to be the best supporters in the world/europe, (depending on which delusional clown is spouting it), ditto Liverpool on a big european night. When the kop chanted 'justice for the 96' for six minutes I recall them muttering in scouse afterwards about how they envied the passion of the blue few and wished they could compete with them. Then again Liverpool would have sold all of their seats for a cup final so it's swings and roundabouts. Storrie back at the helm, criminal activity unchecked, firesale imminent, it's just like the old days!

just tell them pompey had a clear decision to make in January - pay the children's cancer charity and creditors or 'buy in' players to strengthen the cup run. They made NO attempt to sell, they just carried on spending money they didn't have. Also point out to them that the player's wages were paid by them and taxpayers everywhere, and that the money meant for hospitals and schools that pompey kept is now being offered back at 4p in the pound for the next five years. If they still don't get it just remind them that we were never owned by arms dealers responsible for crippling children, money launderers, convicted fraudsters or tax evaders. If they still don't get it, stop going to parties with these people.

I thought it was a nice touch for Boateng to mark the anniversary weekend of the Dam Busters by being the first player to hit a Wembley penalty that actually bounced a few times before it made it to the goal. If only he'd been that gentle when assaulting Ballack late and from behind, the german might be taking part in the World Cup and not watching it from a hospital bed. I guess we should thank the convicted criminal for both of those courageous feats. Go have some drinks on us Princey, rip a few car mirrors off, go crazy, smash some windscreens, you know you want to, for your feeble spot kick you'll always be a hero in the red two thirds of Hampshire.

beep, beep, beep, beep - that'll be the open top bus reversing back into the garage......forever!

so England keeper in great form and German captain crippled by a disgraceful late tackle from behind, World Cup looks better, and we still have the second half goal fest to enjoy!

great to see Storrie back in his rightful place, making decisions, talking about future transfer policy and walking out onto the pitch at Wembley in his official Pompey suit. Allowing him back is nearly as bad a gaffe as stealing from charities, it makes the mockery so much easier. If they really care and don't want to condone cheating and criminality, the fans need to drive people like him out of the sorry remains of their club.

I'm surprised and horrified to see that Lloyds Bank is openly supporting Pompey today. The Fareham branch is awash with blue and white and 'Pompey til I die' posters in the window. I suggested to the cashier that if another local business stole money from charities and ripped off local businesses and financial institutions I wouldn't expect the bank to promote them, and asked her to inform the manager that not all customers approve of their stance. Disgusting.

I didn't know that Hannibal Lecter ran a bookshop. Or is that a police photofit of AA?.....they have the same hairstylist, either way I didn't think he could look creepier than when in matchday mode. I was wrong.

If the taxman challenged AA and the court appointed a new independent administrator it would scupper all Chanrai's plans and would surely lead to a proper enquiry, further charges and likely liquidation. And I refuse to watch or listen to any Grant interview until he puts his West Ham top on, and I won't be that interested then. From his comments he's obviously mentally-ill and should team up with AdamAnt so they can both get help.

Perhaps the first FA cup final in history not to sell out? That would be another amusing record to add to the defeats and debt level. I do hope Sunday's victorious bus parade is better attended, though with most of the team contracts getting ripped up at 5pm on Saturday it could be a quiet affair. .....Tumbleweed blowing across Southsea common....

great statement, we are in good hands. There has been disharmony behind the scenes, perhaps on reflection NC accepts that the delay caused by Pinnacle was more of a factor in our final position than AP's performance, thus the minor swipe. Matt shouldn't be offended, he was taken on board a failed bid that didn't assist us, not his fault and it is ancient history - and NC could be a little more tactful but if he takes us to the Prem, I don't care what he says. All is well and I feel good about next season. So Matt is still a legend, NC is ML's man at the helm and for me ML can do no wrong, AP is still on course, every family has minor squabbles, onwards and upwards! The future is still very red and white.