solentstars Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/campaigns/passion-for-portsmouth/news/brian_howe_not_in_running_to_take_over_pompey_1_3480974 ha ha one less owner from a die hard supporter:lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
View From The Top Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 So there is no land, that PFC own, that Tescos are willing to pay £20m for apart from in the head of Steve? What a shock. I suppose selling fantasy figures for a living does have an impact on reality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fowllyd Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 http://www.pompeytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=365:fratton-park-qaa&catid=34:demo-category Well, if the Pompey Trust has been advised that the title to Fratton Park would revert to the liquidators in the event that CSI is liquidated, then I reckon they've been badly advised. The Land Registry entry shows quite clearly a charge in favour of Portpin over the ground; in other words, until such time as that charge is paid off and cleared, Portpin have first dibs on Fratton Park. What happens to CSI makes no difference whatever. So, no land which you'll get anything for, let alone £20M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjsaint Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/campaigns/passion-for-portsmouth/news/brian_howe_not_in_running_to_take_over_pompey_1_3480974 ha ha one less owner from a die hard supporter:lol: I never really understood this Brian Howe thing anyway. He can't have that much money, only joined Bad Co when they were washed up anyway, he's probably a pauper in rock star terms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trousers Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 We didn't need a CVA as debts were cleared in full. Ok, yep...so a company that goes into administration only needs a CVA if all the debts can't be cleared at the time of takeover? Got it. Cheers. Just off to 'own' my colleagues :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingsland Codger Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 Thanks guys would never have known the email address if it wasnt for you, heres my correspondance. Dear Mr Cameron, I am writing to express my thanks on yourself and Ms Mordaunt support in trying to bring together some sort of communication between the HMRC and Portsmouth FC. As you probably know Portsmouth FC has been run in to its existing state by a number of utterly deficient 'owners' who generally would not even qualify for a household mortgage, but have been deemed more than adequate for the Premier and Football leagues 'Fit and Proper Testing' procedure. I know that you have had numerous emails today on this subject many questioning why you are placing such importance on this issue, I know this as a fact as I have been on various Southampton FC forums and witnessed our neighbours trying to start a campaign to give you a hard time on taking this up, even to the point of claiming they are just 'neutral' non football supporting taxpayers. I think this vindictiveness just goes along with your theory that we could never just pop up the road to support their team. I do not think that they realise that all you have agreed to do today, is to help get everyone at the table, look at our situation and sort this out, not to avoid paying what we owe. We are just trying to stop a community lose one of its most important features, of which the community has had no input up to now in its demise other than its unwavering support. I would again like to thank you for highlighting this issue. Thank you from a Pompey Fan who is now a Tory Pompey Fan Had to stop myself spoiling it by calling you s(um Welcome to the thread, Super Bock. We shall all look forward to your comments and views. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solentstars Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 I never really understood this Brian Howe thing anyway. He can't have that much money, only joined Bad Co when they were washed up anyway, he's probably a pauper in rock star terms.agree unlike the original bad company who were fantastic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dronskisaint Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 I never really understood this Brian Howe thing anyway. He can't have that much money, only joined Bad Co when they were washed up anyway, he's probably a pauper in rock star terms. Straws...clutching? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COMEONYOUREDS Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 Come on, be fair...at least he/she has been more articulate on here than they were on one of Ipswich's messageboards last week: http://www.ipswich.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=270476 classy welcome to the family fish face Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedg Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 No news of the creditors meeting I assume? I notice that according to some of the blue few the allegedly CSI debt is £50 Million Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alehouseboys Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 I though Ho lived in Berks or Oxon? I think you'll find it's Toytown. A few years back ('kinnell he's been around a long time!) he did say he lived up Portsdown Hill, probably lodging with his bestest friends Ken and Barbie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmel Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 No news of the creditors meeting I assume? I notice that according to some of the blue few the allegedly CSI debt is £50 Million It is being beamed live back to 2,387 different old peoples homes in Lithuania Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torres Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 Can anyone quickly find the picture of Fratton with the old dear on the mobility scooter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedg Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 Can anyone quickly find the picture of Fratton with the old dear on the mobility scooter? on this page: http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/business/9390942.Pompey_owners_in_insolvency_proceedings/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dimond Geezer Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 I never really understood this Brian Howe thing anyway. He can't have that much money, only joined Bad Co when they were washed up anyway, he's probably a pauper in rock star terms. Probably true, especially as he left the band in '94 (Paul Rodges has been back since 2009). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trousers Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 Can anyone quickly find the picture of Fratton with the old dear on the mobility scooter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctoroncall Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 Ok, yep...so a company that goes into administration only needs a CVA if all the debts can't be cleared at the time of takeover? Got it. Cheers. Just off to 'own' my colleagues :-) But remember it was SLH that went into administration not the football club and stadium which were separate entities - from business perspective not the league. If I remember correctly SHL went into liquidation after the assets were sold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viking Warrior Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 Corp Ho . the difference between Vodafone and Mr Redknapp is simple. They didnt have any secret bank accounts in monaco named after their pet as far as Im aware. The have genuine off shore accounts to screw the taxman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamesaint Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 That sounds like my alcohol fuelled alter ego. Couldnt use that language on the leader of the country especially when hes doing everything he can to help my football club out. Fantastic. Another pet skate on here. The old ones have gone a bit quiet lately. I wonder why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamesaint Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 I think you'll find it's Toytown. A few years back ('kinnell he's been around a long time!) he did say he lived up Portsdown Hill, probably lodging with his bestest friends Ken and Barbie. He's on Facebook if you want to find him. He can't be all bad - he likes Staffordshire Bull Terriers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wibble Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 I've emailed a link to the post, where Porky Penny says about her partner being a taxman and her seeing internal HMRC emails, to Tom Newton Dunn the political editor of The Sun and also to Rachael Singh over at Accountancy Age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 Fantastic. Another pet skate on here. The old ones have gone a bit quiet lately. I wonder why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 Now if only I had photoshop I could have personalised that one for the troll by changing relationships to ownerships Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torres Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 Pedg, Trousers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holepuncture Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 I think Saints should offer to be AFC Pompey's first opposition in a friendly. Better than playing Eastleigh, and can get the rivalry started early. Absolutely. I dont get this angle that we would be losing our rivals etc. Liquidate the club, finish it. Start up at Moneyfields as AFC Poopey in Wessex League and they can come and visit us in pre-season. We would get massive crowds against them and help fill their coffers, we would be helping to support their finances and the payment of their part time squad. I wouldnt mind the thought of helping an honest start up pheonix pompey even though they are skates. They could also be a feeder club to us by supplying our academy with any talent that comes their way. The rivalry will be healthy as they would no longer be cheating by financing players they patently cant afford - we will be able to battle it out on the pitch in the right way. 2x Pre-season matches against AFC Pompey, would be a good thing for all. BTW, I think you have a superb avatar, gets me everytime! COYHMRC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Channon's Sideburns Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 He's on Facebook if you want to find him. He can't be all bad - he likes Staffordshire Bull Terriers. Portsdown Hill and Staffies? Does he like dogging? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Um Bongo Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 I'm sure HMRC would love to meet up with Pompey again. I think it would go a little something like this Pompey Bloke: 'Hey you guys, how you been? Now I know we screwed you over last time but I can assure you, this time....we have it all covered..... HMRC: '**** off.' Pay up, or you're gone. Pompey being smug the last time they defeated HMRC may, just may, come back to bite them in the arse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trousers Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 (edited) David Brown @DavidhBrown #Redknapp on shares adviser: "I think he was trying to ruin me but I am a bit of a gambler so I kept trying." #Redknapp: "You think I put my hand on the bible, Mr Black, and told lies. That is an insult." #Redknapp: "I'm afraid I did invest in shares. I got my son over there (Jamie) almost wiped out." #Redknapp: "($45,000) is not peanuts to most people. No one has had it harder than me as a kid." #Redknapp (sarcastically): "Harry it's not going to benefit you but it will help poor Mr #Mandaric who is down to his last billion." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ James Pearce @Pearcesport Redknapp talking about his poor form with share dealing "I got my son wiped out nearly once" Redknapp "I'd never heard of shares until playing golf. Was recommended Firecrest. It was more firework. Went out like damp squib. Lost all" Prosecution : " I suggest you're telling pack of lies Mr Redknapp...You've come to this Court + twisted your account to get you off hook" Redknapp "You think that I put my hand on the bible and told lies? That's an insult. I've told you no lies.... I don't do that" Redknapp "I might tell Mr Beasley (NOTW) lies but I don't tell this Court lies" Redknapp "I'm the most ungreedy person you ever met - ever, ever. Give me bible back and I'll put my hand back on it" More laughter as Redknapp talks about Rosie again. "I don't ever like calling her a dog. She was better than that" Voices raised as prosecution finish cross exam. Redknapp asks why Mandaric needed help on tax when he was "only down to his last billion" Prosecution have finished questions for Redknapp. Judge now asking questions to R. Judge asking more about what R said to News of World Redknapp: "Everything I've told you has been the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. So help me God" Redknapp has finished evidence. Now his defence team has just called Arsenal's Bob Wilson to give evidence Edited 2 February, 2012 by trousers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopGun Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 A very good article charting the crooked goings on at PFC since Mandaric left town. http://thetwounfortunates.com/turmoil-week-portsmouth/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trousers Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 (edited) A very good article charting the crooked goings on at PFC since Mandaric left town. http://thetwounfortunates.com/turmoil-week-portsmouth/ Good stuff....an absolutely superb summary of the last 1,000 pages or so on here.... This week, we shall be running a series of five posts examining the fortunes of 5 clubs that have experienced significant financial and/or organisational turmoil in recent times. Unfortunately, this cross section is but the very precarious tip of a very grubby iceberg indeed – and if you think the problems we shall detail are unique to this quintet alone or indeed the 72 clubs in the Football League, then think again. First up are Portsmouth and we are extra pleased to welcome SJ Maskell, the contributor to a string of tough minded articles covering the south coast outfit in the pages of pioneering blog Two Hundred Percent down the months. Indeed, SJ wrote just yesterday of the latest unhappy episodes in the whole saga and this piece can perhaps be viewed as a companion perspective, synthesizing as it does the great many lows suffered by Portsmouth Football Club over the past decade. Copyright lies with SJ Maskell. Pompey has been a ‘Basket Case’ of a club more or less since the inception of the Premier League. Mention that you’re a fan of the club in any encounter with someone who works for the football authorities and, as long as it’s not a public forum, you’ll get a roll of the eyes and an expulsion of breath that tells you everything you need to know. If evidence was ever wanted that football is, ‘The worst governed sport in the country,’ then Pompey is the place to find it. Anyone truly interested in the financial stability of the game would find a proper forensic investigation of the club’s affairs, probably from the date of their promotion to the Premier League in 2003. It began here (more or less) … Milan Mandarić, Peter Storrie and Harry Redknapp kept the club in the Premier League long enough for Milan to be able to sell it on as going concern to the young Sacha Gaydamak in 2006. Milan walked away with a reputed £10m profit and Harry and Peter got access to what they seemed to believe were the unlimited funds of an Abramovich-style sugar-daddy owner. A happy spending spree on players way beyond the club’s means followed and Pompey ran out as FA Cup winners in 2008. It now seems incredible that anyone thought an owner with no visible income except access to his father’s billions gained largely from dealing in arms and blood diamonds would sustain a club living so far beyond its means indefinitely. Some people still think it was the credit crunch that hit the Gaydamak funding. However, the strange coincidence of Pompey’s troubles arising at the same time that Sacha’s father, Arcady, was avoiding an international arrest warrant, having his assets frozen and fleeing from Israel to Russia leaves little to the imagination as to where the money was coming from. Redknapp decamping in the middle of the 2008 UEFA Cup campaign made it clear that trouble was brewing. The intimation that this was down to Arcady’s problems was further evidenced by what happened when Sacha finally sold the club in August 2009. After a protracted period of due diligence during the close season Sacha sold the club to the world’s seemingly only skint Arab, Sulaiman Al Fahim. During this time a mystery consortium materialised, one which Peter Storrie said would take the club to ‘a level you would not quite believe.’ Throughout Al Fahim’s short tenure, during which there was a threat of a winding up order from HMRC, this consortium hovered in the background. When funds to maintain the players Storrie had brought in failed to materialise the Ali Al Faraj consortium was able to step in. Using a loan from Hong Kong businessman Balram Chainrai and Israeli partner Levi Kushnir, they were able to pay the wage bill in October 09. From then there came a steady decline into administration. The thickening of the plot It soon became apparent that the backers of the never-to-be-seen Al Faraj were a group of businessmen coincidentally having trouble getting money from Arcady Gaydamak in the Israeli courts, operating as Falcondrone. (This is covered in more detail here and here.) Fans’ suspicions were aroused within ten days of the takeover by the fact that the Al Faraj consortium had not got control of the land around the football club that was essential to the development of the dilapidated stadium. This land remained in the control of Sacha Gaydamak, as it does to this day, and effectively told fans that there would be no immediate attempt to improve the club. By the end of October 2009 it was apparent that the consortium had some idea that a quick refunding and sale of the club was the thing to do. Strangely they thought this was possible by sending in a known fraudster, Daniel Azougy, to manage the finances. The refunding never materialised except in the form of the reported £17 million loan from Chainrai and Kushnir’s company Portpin. Bills went unpaid and the club repeatedly struggled to cover the wage bill month after month. The taxman finally lost patience and issued a second winding up order on the club in December 2009. Edited 2 February, 2012 by trousers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trousers Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 (edited) Chainrai takes control In January 2010, against a background of escalating fan protest, players were sold to cover the wage bill, so it was said. Falcondrone defaulted on the first repayment of their loan from Chainrai and Kushnir, having already defaulted on payments due to Sacha Gaydamak for the purchase of the club – debts taken on when they bought the club from Al Fahim. Chainrai had taken the precaution of securing his loan against the club’s assets and thus was able to seize ownership of the club from Falcondrone on 5 February 2010, just before the winding up order was due to be heard. A stay of execution was achieved as the club was up for sale. However, due diligence would have told any serious buyer that the club was in hock way beyond its worth. Administration was inevitable and occurred on 26 February 2010. The team showed considerable spirit throughout, probably spurred by the adversity, and took the fans all the way to Wembley again. This somewhat ironic run of fortune was, to many, more thrilling than in 2008. Particularly satisfying was the 2-1 defeat of Harry Redknapp’s Tottenham at Wembley in the semi-final, a match that is way up in the top three of fans’ favourite games ever. A team of loanees, youngsters and players who could not be shifted in numerous fire sales gave us a great day out. This came the day after we were officially relegated, sunk by the nine point deduction for going into administration. Unfortunately Chelsea did for us in the final. Close season 2010 was a more anxious time than the previous year as the club’s CVA route out of administration was challenged by HMRC. Administrator Andronikou rode out the challenge however, although some serious questions were raised in court about the management of the club in the period October 2009 – January 2010, including a clear breach of the insolvency laws. Events of this period are now subject to a forensic investigation consequent on the liquidation of the club’s parent company Portsmouth City Football Club Ltd. Coming out of administration was not straightforward however. Messrs Chainrai and Kushnir, as secured creditors, rose above a variety of tyre-kickers and wannabes to be the only viable new owner in the eyes of the administrator. From defeating HMRC in May it took six months for them to regain control of the club. Much negotiation between the administrator, Chainrai, the Football League and Sacha Gaydamak as the only other secured creditor resulted in a dramatic climax to matters on the 22 October 2010 with declarations in the press that if Sacha did not play ball the club would be liquidated within days. Fans set off to the away game at Hull in the fear that this would be the last game they would ever see. What gave these hysterical statements their credence were that they were endorsed by the club’s new CEO, David Lampitt, fresh from employment as head of integrity at the FA. Sacha did sign off the deal as he claimed he had always intended and Chainrai and Kushnir emerged as the owners of the club. The Leagues’ responsibility? The Football League, we were assured, would bring careful scrutiny to bear on all the club’s financial dealings whilst the CVA was in force – the next five years. It was understood that Chainrai and Kushnir had underwritten the CVA, that parachute payments would pay the football creditors and that the owners would be unable to take any money from the club until the CVA was paid up. However, Chainrai and Kushnir took care to re-secure their money by taking out a fresh charge on Fratton Park. It is known that the football authorities were well abreast of affairs from 2008 on. This became clear when a group of Pompey fans, SOS Pompey, met with the Premier League in February 2010 at the time Chainrai seized ownership. Producing a carefully researched matrix of the links between our various owners over the two years, the fans were told that the PL had a similar matrix – only with far more detail. They must have been very relieved to hand the problem over to the Football League. Post-Administration Despite having a somewhat small, if expensive, squad, manager Steve Cotterill kept the club in the Championship in May 2011. This was whilst the club was running under a highly restricted budget. It emerged in January 2011 that Mr Chainrai had no intention of putting any more of his money in the club. Despite occasionally claiming he had ‘caught the Pompey bug’ he described himself as a reluctant owner who was looking for a buyer who could take the club forward – and off his hands.The problem with this was, even with the CVA in place, the price wanted for the club was greater than the club was really worth. Chainrai and Gaydamak still have secured debts and the dilapidated ground and lack of development space, due to Sacha still holding the extra land, meant that the club would struggle to be self-sustaining. Legacy issues reared their heads in the shape of unchangeable player contracts negotiated by Peter Storrie coming back to bite. Some players, such as Tal Ben Haim, still drew down Premier League money, and extension clauses in the contracts of Michael Brown and Richard Hughes meant they could not be played in the second half of the season, for fear of triggering more years for them on Premier League money. It seems a club in trouble still has to honour football contracts it can no longer afford whilst local businesses and charities get a fraction of what they are owed.... Edited 2 February, 2012 by trousers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trousers Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 (edited) Fresh Start? Another tense close season followed in 2011. From about March rumours started circulating of interested Russian buyers. Throughout the usual (for Pompey fans) media dance negotiations with Convers Sports Initiatives became more and more public. CSI were a UK based firm owned by Vladimir Antonov, a Russian banker, Hungarian Roman Dubov and Chris Akers of Leeds United fame. They owned a number of sporting franchises, in F1 and Powerplay Golf in particular, and were looking for a football club. They had flirted with Rangers and Bournemouth and then alighted on Pompey. During their negotiating period it became clear that there were many doubts over the legitimacy of Mr Antonov’s business past, which included Russian banking, Spyker cars and an interest in SAAB motors. However, the Football League felt that such doubts were unfounded and passed them as Fit and Proper. CSI took over the club on the 1st June with Antonov, holding 75% of the shares, becoming chairman. It seemed that they felt there was profit in Pompey – despite doubts among many fans. Doubts that were not helped by the fact that Sacha Gaydamak had not been approached about the land he held. Development of the club’s infrastructure yet again did not seem to be on the agenda. The club did not start the 2011-12 season well and fans’ displeasure at high prices and poor performance on the pitch built pressure on the manager and the CEO. CSI though would not be hurried and made little in the way of contact with fans except through their professional social media sites. We know now that Mr Antonov made a loan to the club from CSI of £10.8 million to cover player purchases and day-to-day running costs – the club still running a wage bill above a sustainable level given the 20,000 capacity of the ground which is seldom filled. However, visible progress was hard to detect and there were rumblings amongst fans in regard to Antonov’s complex past, including some concerns about the source of his fortune. However, cognisant as we have become of international economics at Pompey in recent years, we soothed ourselves with the caveat that very few rich Russians had spotless histories – citing Abramovich himself in our rationale. But it was more difficult to rationalise the fact that the FSA would not license Antonov’s Snoras Bank to operate in the UK, that the European Investment Bank would not lend to SAAB if Antonov was the owner, that General Motors would not trade with SAAB in the same circumstances and that the US were not willing to grant him a visa. Then there was his encounter with assassins from the Chechen Mafia … an interim Kroll Report found in a simple Google search outlined the whole business. Antonov claims to be the innocent party in all these encounters and that there are political moves against him that blacken his name. More detail can be found here. But not to worry – he was clean enough for the Football League to pass him fit and proper to own our poor abused club. It seems they do not have the money to fund an investigation of every new owner. The internet obviously has not got to Preston yet. What happened next makes you wonder if the football authorities really have got it in for Pompey. In November, despite our dismal start, Steve Cotterill was headhunted by Nottingham Forest. It took some time to find a manager who would work for the money available to pay him. Michael Appleton was the consequent choice but before his feet were properly under the table, Antonov’s past jumped up to bite the club severely on the behind. His bank guaranteeing funding of Pompey – Snoras in Lithuania – was seized and put into administration by the regulatory authorities. A European arrest warrant was issued and within two days the Latvian branch of the bank was also put into liquidation by the authorities there. These actions were triggered by ‘significant outflows’ of cash from both banks that left them unable to meet their liabilities. The arrest warrant for Antonov and his banking partner, Raimundas Baranauskas, cited charges of ‘fraudulent accounting, forgery of documents, abuse of authority, misappropriation of property, money laundering and other criminal offences committed by the bank Snoras.’ Chainrai returns Balram Chainrai instantly put a charge on CSI that forced them into administration. CSI had not paid the first installment of the purchase price of PFC and Chainrai sought to secure his money. This opened up fears that Chainrai could seize PFC and become the reluctant owner yet again. That this hasn’t happened may be explained by the wish to avoid embroiling the club in the administration of its parent company and thus incur another points deduction, although it isn’t yet certain that this won’t happen further down the line. On the other hand, Mr Chainrai has always been reluctant to spend money on the club. Antonov has since surrendered his passport in London and awaits extradition hearings over the next few months. He says he is in fear of his life if he is taken to Lithuania. He has resigned as PFC chairman. Guilty or not, his chequered past has had dire consequences for many, including PFC. Fit and Proper Football League? Pompey is now searching for its sixth owner since Gaydamak sold in 2009. Given that CSI helped fund the club there is very little chance of it surviving the season without someone being willing to underwrite the everyday running costs and the CVA. Chainrai is said to have made a £1m loan (to add to the rest he is owed) to keep the club running for January, although many are sceptical about the reports of that money and David Lampitt did not seem aware of it on ExpressFM Monday evening. The club needs to be sold to meet CSI’s debt to Chainrai and the administrator, our old friend Andronikou, has to find the best deal he can for CSI’s creditors, chief of who is Chainrai. PFC is the only asset of CSI of worth, particularly in that the ground is still attached to the club. Front runner to purchase the club, up to the afternoon of 20 January when he withdrew his bid, was Sicilian American Joseph Cala, a man with no current business that has any turnover, limited personal wealth, who claims to be in the business of building underwater casinos but hasn’t actually built any yet and was involved with Salerno in Italy’s Serie C for three weeks before failing to pay the wages as the club went bust. His philosophy of finance seems to be that you can stack up losses to put against future profits. That Cala was entertained at all may have more to do with an outstanding £1.6 million tax bill than his suitability as a football club owner. Mr Chainrai is in an invidious position. If no buyer is found then he will have to pay this bill or let the club go under and lose his money. We will not survive another winding up order. Being under a CVA for which no payments have yet been made and without a viable buyer, the chances are that the court will not allow us to go into administration again. As it is Cala being a preferred buyer casts all sorts of doubts on the role of both Chainrai and his chosen Administrator. Mr Chainrai’s plight raises no sympathy in the City of Portsmouth. If the Football League continues to pass people such as these as ‘Fit and Proper’ we seriously need to think about staging a coup. Because the regime as it stands is as rotten as hell.... Edited 2 February, 2012 by trousers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trousers Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 James Pearce @Pearcesport Bob Wilson's evidence very short. Told jury Redknapp is "amazing guy" who's always helped with Wilson's charity whenever requested David Brown @DavidhBrown#Redknapp supports Willow Foundation in memory of Bob Wilson's daughter by fundraising/meeting unwell young people Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedg Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 James Pearce @Pearcesport Bob Wilson's evidence very short. Told jury Redknapp is "amazing guy" who's always helped with Wilson's charity whenever requested David Brown @DavidhBrown#Redknapp supports Willow Foundation in memory of Bob Wilson's daughter by fundraising/meeting unwell young people Oh that's okay then. He's an amazing guy who does stuff for charity. Case dismissed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solentstars Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 To be fair he raised a lot of money for southampton hospitals and other charitys in the area without payments.I'm more interested in pompey going bust. Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pancake Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 James Pearce @Pearcesport Bob Wilson's evidence very short. Told jury Redknapp is "amazing guy" who's always helped with Wilson's charity whenever requested Yeah, but with money from where? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjii Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 That's a good summary apart from 1): the failure to mention that were it not for the assistance of the football authorities in forwarding money (thus giving them an unfair advantage) they would probably be bust already; 2) the failure to mention the clear cheating that allowed the plucky cup run alluded to and the wrong impression given that it was a ramshackle team of inexperienced kiddies; and 3) a clear misunderstanding of the nature and purpose of the "Fit and Proper Persons" test. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trousers Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 James Pearce @Pearcesport Breaking - Redknapp/Mandaric jury told that they will retire to consider their verdicts on Tuesday David Brown @DavidhBrown #Redknapp defence case finishes. Jury to return at 11.30am tomorrow to a different court - court 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eurosaint Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 Is it really almost a month since the "We should have a buyer in place within the next 24 hours!" statements ?? Anyone who believes that Admin Andy is not 'full of sh#t' should really think again ! Ho ho ho........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trousers Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 That's a good summary apart from..... 2) the failure to mention the clear cheating that allowed the plucky cup run alluded to and the wrong impression given that it was a ramshackle team of inexperienced kiddies; Not sure I agree with that.....the article says: "Milan Mandarić, Peter Storrie and Harry Redknapp kept the club in the Premier League long enough for Milan to be able to sell it on as going concern to the young Sacha Gaydamak in 2006. Milan walked away with a reputed £10m profit and Harry and Peter got access to what they seemed to believe were the unlimited funds of an Abramovich-style sugar-daddy owner. A happy spending spree on players way beyond the club’s means followed and Pompey ran out as FA Cup winners in 2008." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedg Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 Is it really almost a month since the "We should have a buyer in place within the next 24 hours!" statements ?? Anyone who believes that Admin Andy is not 'full of sh#t' should really think again ! Ho ho ho........ http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/campaigns/passion-for-portsmouth/news/brian_howe_not_in_running_to_take_over_pompey_1_3480974 Terri Mulgrew, of UHY Hacker Young, said Mr Howe does not appear on a list of potential new owners drawn up by Andrew Andronikou, joint-administrator of Convers Sports Initiative (CSI). ... Ms Mulgrew added: ‘We are very much looking for interested parties and it’s imperative anyone interested gets in contact with us.’ AA's List: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 OK gang, here is something very strange. Word is that poopey have not paid the players wages for January. So HOW COME we have not heard ANY statements from that massive (never miss a chance to get on TV media luvvie) Gordon Taylor? Why is he not commenting on the rights & interests of his Union Members? C'mon guys, has ANYONE ever known a Union Leader with the chance to comment stay SILENT? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelman Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 Not that it is really relevant, but old HR saying he is the most ungreedy person and all that got me thinking. Allegedly there is a sprinkler system, ordered and paid for by AFCB, that got delivered and installed somewhere around Poole Harbour by mistake. Maybe there was a BOGOF offer on, maybe it isn't true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holepuncture Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 OK gang, here is something very strange. Word is that poopey have not paid the players wages for January. So HOW COME we have not heard ANY statements from that massive (never miss a chance to get on TV media luvvie) Gordon Taylor? Why is he not commenting on the rights & interests of his Union Members? C'mon guys, has ANYONE ever known a Union Leader with the chance to comment stay SILENT? Good point. Is he another chappy who is implicated in the mess? The pompey disease spreading through the back offices of the game. Pack the Park!! Just a gentle, if needed, reminder that we - the Pompey fans - are needed in our droves for the next two home games, the first of which is this weekend... Attendence sweepstake ladies and gentlemen? They are going to be coming out in their droves, Penny, Cameron and all to be the bestestests in the land, the pompey twelfth man I will go for 13,123 (inc 500 Hull), miles under break even so the game will be a loss maker! In their droves, Voldermorts unpaid army! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buctootim Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 Readers comment from the News. Plymouth Graham Thursday, February 2, 2012 at 01:20 PM . uhy hackerAA..they are clients of BC..their job is to get him the HIGHESTBEST deal...they have no interest in Pompey FC. Think of it this way,.. if they were selling BC's horse, they would not care one jot if it was the RSPCA, or a french resturant, or a glue factory who was buying it. THE PROBLEM IS now I feel,- to keep the analogy going,- is that BC wants a "Race horse" price for what is generally viewed as a "Cart horse" property. Surely AA isnt selling either a race horse or a cart horse but is in fact flogging a dead horse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trousers Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 Attendence sweepstake ladies and gentlemen? They are going to be coming out in their droves, Penny, Cameron and all to be the bestestests in the land, the pompey twelfth man I will go for 13,123 (inc 500 Hull), miles under break even so the game will be a loss maker! In their droves, Voldermorts unpaid army! http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/se/se_forecast_warnings.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 Readers comment from the News. Plymouth Graham Thursday, February 2, 2012 at 01:20 PM . uhy hackerAA..they are clients of BC..their job is to get him the HIGHESTBEST deal...they have no interest in Pompey FC. Think of it this way,.. if they were selling BC's horse, they would not care one jot if it was the RSPCA, or a french resturant, or a glue factory who was buying it. THE PROBLEM IS now I feel,- to keep the analogy going,- is that BC wants a "Race horse" price for what is generally viewed as a "Cart horse" property. Surely AA isnt selling either a race horse or a cart horse but is in fact flogging a dead horse. :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohwhenthesaints Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 http://twitter.com/#!/SneakyFC Who is this? Seems like they're on a campaign to spread the word. A regular to this topic, surely? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trousers Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedg Posted 2 February, 2012 Share Posted 2 February, 2012 Attendence sweepstake ladies and gentlemen? They are going to be coming out in their droves, Penny, Cameron and all to be the bestestests in the land, the pompey twelfth man I will go for 13,123 (inc 500 Hull), miles under break even so the game will be a loss maker! In their droves, Voldermorts unpaid army! I will go for 16,347 (inc 600 Hull). Raising enough extra money to refresh AA hair gel supply but little else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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