miserableoldgit Posted 20 March, 2013 Share Posted 20 March, 2013 Saw this in a local pub last week-end. Add your own captions...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaMarlin Posted 20 March, 2013 Share Posted 20 March, 2013 Saw this in a local pub last week-end. Add your own captions...... When you say local, where do you mean? It can't be a Southampton pub, otherwise the team picture would have been ripped off the wall. It can't be a p********h pub, the Lady Godiva would have been stolen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waterside.saint Posted 20 March, 2013 Share Posted 20 March, 2013 So barring a miracle it would appear P*mpey will be playing in the 4th tier of British football next season ...... do we reckon that is punishment enough for the ills of their past or do they deserve more? Me personally, I am still hoping for liquidation Only their liquidation will do. Can't happen soon enough Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fitzhugh Fella Posted 20 March, 2013 Author Share Posted 20 March, 2013 So barring a miracle it would appear P*mpey will be playing in the 4th tier of British football next season ...... do we reckon that is punishment enough for the ills of their past or do they deserve more? Me personally, I am still hoping for liquidation If they showed an ounce of humility I would spare them liquidation, perhaps, but just reading their responses to Unhappy Appy's sacking shows their delusion and arrogance remains undiminished. For that they must be sent to oblivion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
View From The Top Posted 20 March, 2013 Share Posted 20 March, 2013 If they start next season in L2 on -10 then I'll be very happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miserableoldgit Posted 20 March, 2013 Share Posted 20 March, 2013 When you say local, where do you mean? It can't be a Southampton pub, otherwise the team picture would have been ripped off the wall. It can't be a p********h pub, the Lady Godiva would have been stolen. Brushmakers at Upham. Great pub with a brilliant landlord, even if he has a slight blue tinge!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rallyboy Posted 20 March, 2013 Share Posted 20 March, 2013 it's the ongoing problem - sympathy.... Their form has been appalling, their season has been hilariously woeful, most of the fans have given up, and that losing run went on SO long it became boring. But if you start to feel pity for the sick beast and develop mild sympathy, the manky thing turns round and tries to bite you. They start gobbing off about 4-1, blaming others, ranting about the best atmosphere in world football and all the other mad myths that surrounds the patient. It's simple. After a long history of self-harming, the club committed financial suicide, while the few cheered it on all the way like a bunch of toothless simpletons. So barring anyone standing up now and saying 'on reflection, that cup win was a disgrace and idiotic, I don't think we should even claim it as ours', sympathy is scarce. Even with lenient authorities I still maintain that they have been punished in some form, look at the league table - League Two with minus ten has a nice ring to it. Walking away scot free is what happens to Wigan players when they launch dangerous assaults disguised as tackles - pompey have not walked free. Their blatant spin just adds to the annoyance - even in their death throes they are claiming to be the biggest fan-owned club in the world. If it happens the facts suggest that they will in reality be neither big, nor fan-owned, but still they make ludicrous claims. So while I'm not a great fan of liquidation, until someone shows a little concern for creditors, introduces some honesty or humility, or admits that they've been financially doping for the best part of ten years, it's very difficult to argue against the use of a sturdy bolt gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint_John Posted 20 March, 2013 Share Posted 20 March, 2013 Nothing has changed in 37 years I've been scanning a lot of my records from 76 recently when I came across The Pink from 3 April 76, the day we beat Crystal Palace in the S/F. Tucked away in the back pages were the following 2 articles that show nothing has changed with the Cheats in 37 years. For info 1976 was not one of their Admin years they were 1911, 1998, 2010 and 2012, however they were still talking about "money crisis" and "economic survival" even in 1976. 1st article - Stolen Car Cheats FC's assistant promotions manager George Wilkinson was dogging around Southsea putting up posters to help the club's drive for economic survival this week, wondering if the cash could continue to roll in, when his car was stolen. It was one of those strange twists of bad luck which seem to crop up so frequently at Fratton ...... Further down the article (ignore the 76 amounts think more percentage) Other functions are also providing a steady cash flow.... and are hoping for further returns from the four month old £100,000 "Poopey Appeal" which has so far produced £6000. The 2nd article - "Poopey go for the money" Cheats director Peter Clark this week stepped up his efforts to urge the public to help the club out of their money crisis with the comment "If the people of Portmuth want star players at Fratton, then they will have to pay for them". He was launching a scheme whereby the club hope that large businesses in the city will come forward to take a share in paying for the running of the club. IMO It seems that only HMRC and the Local Charities came forward, and should that be "y" instead of "u". And the final couple of paragraphs He said "just one little breakthrough is all we need . From then on, we can start putting the pieces back together and giving back to the city the standard of football it deserves. .....and it is the aim of everyone to start heading back towards our rightful position". Question : Is being "deluded" (that the Skates suffer from) a) a faulty gene ? or b) a mental illness ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hutch Posted 20 March, 2013 Share Posted 20 March, 2013 Oh I dunno. I think the city is getting the standard of football it deserves, and I agree that they are heading towards their rightful position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badgerx16 Posted 20 March, 2013 Share Posted 20 March, 2013 "Cheats FC's assistant promotions manager George Wilkinson was dogging around Southsea......." Not Horton Heath ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidthesquid Posted 20 March, 2013 Share Posted 20 March, 2013 One of the most amusing aspects of this season is that finally the Skates are playing a squad full of plucky youngsters and heroic has-beens that they can almost afford, and lo-and-behold they are doing okay. If they'd started the season with a cheap manager and squad, accepting that they wouldn't go up but could consolidate in L1, they would almost certainly be safe now, getting a bit of grudging respect along the way for living within in their means at last. But, oh no, that is not the Skatey way. What they go for is an overrated 'best young manager in the country' with a team of overpaid, underachieving team of mercenaries who the fans applaud as heroes. And what happens - they succeed in screwing the finances even deeper into the ground as they head for oblivion (or admittedly better clubs for the mercenaries) as they go on their record-breaking winless run. And they wonder why we never tire of the laugs they give us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintH Posted 20 March, 2013 Share Posted 20 March, 2013 I am going to the Skates Coventry game on saturday with my nephew - a ST holder at Cov. Cant wait to see just how bad the skates are! He has just text me to say that a meeting has been arranged before the game between the Pompey Supporters Trust and the Coventry Supporters Trust. The Cov Trust may look to do a supporters buy out as well. I told him how deluded the few are and I asked him what the Cov Trust is like. He just replied:- Total retards. They said they wanted to help mediate between sisu and the people that own the ricoh. They were told (politely) to **** off. It would be like me trying to get into a Carling board meeting because I drink beer. Ideas way above their station. They meet in a local pub every few weeks and put the world to rights. They have about 1200 members but it costs just £1 to join so not going to bring a multi national company to it's knees!!! They organised that boycott before the saints fa cup game at the ricoh where only about 50 people turned up. Sounds like a match made in heaven!! Incidentally for those who remember them, he was one of the Thunderbirds at St Mary's for the final game of the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatch Posted 20 March, 2013 Share Posted 20 March, 2013 So barring a miracle it would appear P*mpey will be playing in the 4th tier of British football next season ...... do we reckon that is punishment enough for the ills of their past or do they deserve more? Me personally, I am still hoping for liquidation While they are still in freefall I am quite enjoying it and long may it continue. if, ( a big if) they ever turn around and start moving the other way up the league table , then BAM!, thats when I want them liquidated. Just as they get some hope for a fresh new dawn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EastleighSoulBoy Posted 20 March, 2013 Share Posted 20 March, 2013 Nothing has changed in 37 years I've been scanning a lot of my records from 76 recently when I came across The Pink from 3 April 76, the day we beat Crystal Palace in the S/F. Tucked away in the back pages were the following 2 articles that show nothing has changed with the Cheats in 37 years. For info 1976 was not one of their Admin years they were 1911, 1998, 2010 and 2012, however they were still talking about "money crisis" and "economic survival" even in 1976. 1st article - Stolen Car Further down the article (ignore the 76 amounts think more percentage) The 2nd article - "Poopey go for the money" IMO It seems that only HMRC and the Local Charities came forward, and should that be "y" instead of "u". And the final couple of paragraphs Question : Is being "deluded" (that the Skates suffer from) a) a faulty gene ? or b) a mental illness ? Peter Clark, wasn't he the old Southern TV News anchor man? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EastleighSoulBoy Posted 20 March, 2013 Share Posted 20 March, 2013 I am going to the Skates Coventry game on saturday with my nephew - a ST holder at Cov. Cant wait to see just how bad the skates are! He has just text me to say that a meeting has been arranged before the game between the Pompey Supporters Trust and the Coventry Supporters Trust. The Cov Trust may look to do a supporters buy out as well. I told him how deluded the few are and I asked him what the Cov Trust is like. He just replied:- Total retards. They said they wanted to help mediate between sisu and the people that own the ricoh. They were told (politely) to **** off. It would be like me trying to get into a Carling board meeting because I drink beer. Ideas way above their station. They meet in a local pub every few weeks and put the world to rights. They have about 1200 members but it costs just £1 to join so not going to bring a multi national company to it's knees!!! They organised that boycott before the saints fa cup game at the ricoh where only about 50 people turned up. Sounds like a match made in heaven!! Incidentally for those who remember them, he was one of the Thunderbirds at St Mary's for the final game of the season. Please take a picture of the 'crowded' away end, just for our frivolity. I'm not a photographer but I don't think you'll need to fut the whole stand in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy Diamond Posted 20 March, 2013 Share Posted 20 March, 2013 Peter Clark, wasn't he the old Southern TV News anchor man? Nice typo, quality journalism - 'Portsmuth' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarehamRed Posted 20 March, 2013 Share Posted 20 March, 2013 ...They organised that boycott before the saints fa cup game at the ricoh where only about 50 people turned up. How do you turn up to a boycott? (Sorry, couldn't resist). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintH Posted 20 March, 2013 Share Posted 20 March, 2013 How do you turn up to a boycott? (Sorry, couldn't resist). Ha ha - fair point! They were supposed to be boycotting the game and meeting outside for a demo!! 50 turned up! I'm in the away end (of course) so may get a photo of the packed home stands!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suewhistle Posted 20 March, 2013 Share Posted 20 March, 2013 I am going to the Skates Coventry game on saturday with my nephew - a ST holder at Cov. Cant wait to see just how bad the skates are! Don't forget to teach them a few songs..."Pompey going bust with no money in the bank, money in the bank, money in the bank" and "We're all standing on a future block of flats, future block of flats..." As they used to say on the old broadside ballads - 'to a well known air' [Yellow Submarine] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pedro Posted 20 March, 2013 Share Posted 20 March, 2013 Brushmakers at Upham. Great pub with a brilliant landlord, even if he has a slight blue tinge!! Isn't Upham where Robinson or Robertson (he who has just bought the car park), the property developer, lives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Munster Posted 20 March, 2013 Share Posted 20 March, 2013 Please take a picture of the 'crowded' away end, just for our frivolity. I'm not a photographer but I don't think you'll need to fut the whole stand in. A wide angle lens is definitely not required. In fact, it may be a good idea to put the camera in macro mode. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chez Posted 20 March, 2013 Share Posted 20 March, 2013 Ha ha - fair point! They were supposed to be boycotting the game and meeting outside for a demo!! 50 turned up! I'm in the away end (of course) so may get a photo of the packed home stands!! witnessing first hand the skates being relegated to the bottom tier sounds like fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chez Posted 20 March, 2013 Share Posted 20 March, 2013 (edited) Don't forget to teach them a few songs..."Pompey going bust with no money in the bank, money in the bank, money in the bank" and "We're all standing on a future block of flats, future block of flats..." As they used to say on the old broadside ballads - 'to a well known air' [Yellow Submarine] something tells me sky blue fans won't be taking the **** out of the skates for their lack of funds Edited 20 March, 2013 by Chez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alehouseboys Posted 21 March, 2013 Share Posted 21 March, 2013 something tells me sky blue fans won't be taking the **** out of the skates for their lack of funds Are they all brothers-in-arms now? A year or so back they had quite a hefty thread on one of the Cov forums all about the "cheating" skates. Still, nice to see the sky blues can be there to witness the skates going down just as they were there at SMS to see us return to the Prem. Happy days. WTFILN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintH Posted 21 March, 2013 Share Posted 21 March, 2013 Are they all brothers-in-arms now? A year or so back they had quite a hefty thread on one of the Cov forums all about the "cheating" skates. Still, nice to see the sky blues can be there to witness the skates going down just as they were there at SMS to see us return to the Prem. Happy days. WTFILN. As my Cov nephew says, they can hardly take the high moral ground when it comes to taking the **** out of the Skates having no money. But they do still regard them as Cheats. When Pompey were still loaning in players and paying high wages when in admin the Cov fans were watching their team sell any decent players they had just to stay afloat (ring any bells re Saints?) and that was discussed a lot on their forums. So no they are not brothers in arms. That said, I imagine their respective supporters forums will have an element of sympathy for eachother. But Cov troubles haven't been caused by over spending. SISU have been creating all their issues - there is a court hearing Friday when SISU are trying to offload some of their debts to another company. If unsuccessful Cov could be in admin straight away. They know its coming - they just want to take the 10 point hit this season not next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rallyboy Posted 21 March, 2013 Share Posted 21 March, 2013 I guess that makes pompey v Coventry a massive game - a minus twenty pointer. Interesting article in The News about Ertl being a cult hero. When I say interesting, I actually mean, a few random words speedily gathered purely to fill space, when you'd rather not tell the readers that the second bid has doubled and there is trouble ahead. Cult hero? Putting aside all the sickly praise heaped on him in a machine gun paragraph style, does no one check copy anymore for spelling mistakes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocco boxo Posted 21 March, 2013 Share Posted 21 March, 2013 At the bottom of the second pink article, Sue Lopez scored for Totton Ladies. Surely her and agent DC could do a job up front for them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazlo78 Posted 21 March, 2013 Share Posted 21 March, 2013 I guess that makes pompey v Coventry a massive game - a minus twenty pointer. Interesting article in The News about Ertl being a cult hero. When I say interesting, I actually mean, a few random words speedily gathered purely to fill space, when you'd rather not tell the readers that the second bid has doubled and there is trouble ahead. Cult hero? Putting aside all the sickly praise heaped on him in a machine gun paragraph style, does no one check copy anymore for spelling mistakes? Judging by the comments so far, the locals aren't buying the "cult hero" nonsense. It's an utterly desperate attempt at... well, I'm not even sure what they are trying to do with that "article"... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patred44 Posted 21 March, 2013 Share Posted 21 March, 2013 well, todays the day.. the last day Pompey can exit administration and take the -10 point hit this season. Will they ??? will they feck, they will continue down the same defiant path, cocking a snoop at everyone.. believing they are a special case where the tax payer has to pay for their very existence, where suppliers supply them free without those nasty bills. Where players fall over themselves to join them without any fee to thier former clubs, without wages even. They are the bestest remember, state of fart Fratton reverbiates to the sound of bells, full to the rafters every game, with queues from Fratton to Fareham for any spare seat. Whilst investors and those wishing to give thier grand to the trust fight each other to hand their money over.. Yes indeed they are a very special case.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruffalo Posted 21 March, 2013 Share Posted 21 March, 2013 Isn't the cut off date for points deductions in the current playing season 5pm on the fourth Thursday in March ? If so, that's next week.. 'Tis a moot point though - they appear to be perfectly capable of relegating themselves without any deductions whatsoever.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctoroncall Posted 21 March, 2013 Share Posted 21 March, 2013 well, todays the day.. the last day Pompey can exit administration and take the -10 point hit this season. How many bloody times do we Nutjobs have to say it isn't today! That deadline is going into admin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patred44 Posted 21 March, 2013 Share Posted 21 March, 2013 Isn't the cut off date for points deductions in the current playing season 5pm on the fourth Thursday in March ? If so, that's next week.. 'Tis a moot point though - they appear to be perfectly capable of relegating themselves without any deductions whatsoever.. no tis'nt .. FRIDAY 1ST March..1 ..FRIDAY 8TH MARCH..2 ..FRIDAY 15TH MARCH 3 AND TOMORROW 22ND MARCH IS THE FORTH FRIDAY IN THE MONTH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruffalo Posted 21 March, 2013 Share Posted 21 March, 2013 no tis'nt .. FRIDAY 1ST March..1 ..FRIDAY 8TH MARCH..2 ..FRIDAY 15TH MARCH 3 AND TOMORROW 22ND MARCH IS THE FORTH FRIDAY IN THE MONTH Friday, yes - but the FL Regulations refer to the fourth Thursday.. (a) during the Normal Playing Season but prior to 5.00pm on the fourth Thursday in March, the points deduction shall apply immediately; And no need to shout, I'm not mutton.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trousers Posted 21 March, 2013 Share Posted 21 March, 2013 How many bloody times do we Nutjobs have to say it isn't today! That deadline is going into admin. This Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
View From The Top Posted 21 March, 2013 Share Posted 21 March, 2013 well, todays the day.. the last day Pompey can exit administration and take the -10 point hit this season. Will they ??? will they feck, they will continue down the same defiant path, cocking a snoop at everyone.. believing they are a special case where the tax payer has to pay for their very existence, where suppliers supply them free without those nasty bills. Where players fall over themselves to join them without any fee to thier former clubs, without wages even. They are the bestest remember, state of fart Fratton reverbiates to the sound of bells, full to the rafters every game, with queues from Fratton to Fareham for any spare seat. Whilst investors and those wishing to give thier grand to the trust fight each other to hand their money over.. Yes indeed they are a very special case.. Do keep up. They are getting -10 for coming out of admin and there are no rules for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CB Saint Posted 21 March, 2013 Share Posted 21 March, 2013 Do keep up. They are getting -10 for coming out of admin and there are no rules for that. Although there are no rules re this, the fourth Thursday rule is a good precedent and will probably be referred too when the penalty is finally applied Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmel Posted 21 March, 2013 Share Posted 21 March, 2013 well, todays the day.. the last day Pompey can exit administration and take the -10 point hit this season. Will they ??? will they feck, they will continue down the same defiant path, cocking a snoop at everyone.. believing they are a special case where the tax payer has to pay for their very existence, where suppliers supply them free without those nasty bills. Where players fall over themselves to join them without any fee to thier former clubs, without wages even. They are the bestest remember, state of fart Fratton reverbiates to the sound of bells, full to the rafters every game, with queues from Fratton to Fareham for any spare seat. Whilst investors and those wishing to give thier grand to the trust fight each other to hand their money over.. Yes indeed they are a very special case.. Afraid not Patred. The minus ten is for failing to service (As in pay a single penny) towards the orginal CVA. There are no rules or dates associated to this with in the FA or FL's rulebook. The points will be deducted at the point in which they exit adminstration as this will formally ratify CVA 1 as failed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saint si Posted 21 March, 2013 Share Posted 21 March, 2013 Afraid not Patred. The minus ten is for failing to service (As in pay a single penny) towards the orginal CVA. There are no rules or dates associated to this with in the FA or FL's rulebook. The points will be deducted at the point in which they exit adminstration as this will formally ratify CVA 1 as failed. True BUT with one caveat. The FL can essentially do what it wants. If the skates are relegated without the deduction having an impact, then they may choose to roll it over to next season anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctoroncall Posted 21 March, 2013 Share Posted 21 March, 2013 Do keep up. They are getting -10 for coming out of admin and there are no rules for that. pedant hat on: not really, it was for not satisfying the creditors for CVA1, which they still can do. It will only be applied when they come out of admin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
View From The Top Posted 21 March, 2013 Share Posted 21 March, 2013 pedant hat on: not really, it was for not satisfying the creditors for CVA1, which they still can do. It will only be applied when they come out of admin. I know, I was just keeping it simple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedg Posted 21 March, 2013 Share Posted 21 March, 2013 (edited) Logically the League have set a date for the purposes of making sure that clubs getting a traditional points deduction do not remove the effect of the point deduction by taking it at a point at which they are, or are almost certain to be, relegated. It would be odd therefore if they did not apply the same deadline to pompey, especially as it would appear that their almost certain relegation anyway would negate the effect of the points deduction. Edited 21 March, 2013 by pedg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Tone Posted 21 March, 2013 Share Posted 21 March, 2013 As my Cov nephew says, they can hardly take the high moral ground when it comes to taking the **** out of the Skates having no money. But they do still regard them as Cheats. When Pompey were still loaning in players and paying high wages when in admin the Cov fans were watching their team sell any decent players they had just to stay afloat (ring any bells re Saints?) and that was discussed a lot on their forums. So no they are not brothers in arms. That said, I imagine their respective supporters forums will have an element of sympathy for eachother. But Cov troubles haven't been caused by over spending. SISU have been creating all their issues - there is a court hearing Friday when SISU are trying to offload some of their debts to another company. If unsuccessful Cov could be in admin straight away. They know its coming - they just want to take the 10 point hit this season not next. Which exactly why Coventry can take the moral high ground. When they ran out of money, they used the novel tactic of stopping spending it .. an innovative approach that apparently never occurred to Portsmouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Tone Posted 21 March, 2013 Share Posted 21 March, 2013 Logically the League have set a date for the purposes of making sure that clubs getting a traditional points deduction do not remove the effect of the point deduction by taking it at a point at which they are, or are almost certain to be, relegated. It would be odd therefore if they did not apply the same deadline to pompey, especially as it would appear that their almost certain relegation anyway would negate the effect of the points deduction. Absolutely this, but as with everything portsmouth related, it is not clear cut. I very much want to see them start L2 with new loans to service and no investment, as will be the case under the Trust's proposals, and with -10. If they sneak the -10 this season in spite of them being relegated anyway, that will mean they've "got away with it" yet again. After all , if morals came into it, they'd be using the extra £4million in parachute payments to give a bit more to the creditors they've shafted, instead of using it to underwrite the extra debts the Trust is clocking up to buy the club because the bestest fans only rasied £1.4 million of their own money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmel Posted 21 March, 2013 Share Posted 21 March, 2013 http://pompeyownership.wordpress.com/2013/03/20/who-should-run-our-club-that-is-the-question/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KK the 2nd Posted 21 March, 2013 Share Posted 21 March, 2013 Logically the League have set a date for the purposes of making sure that clubs getting a traditional points deduction do not remove the effect of the point deduction by taking it at a point at which they are, or are almost certain to be, relegated. It would be odd therefore if they did not apply the same deadline to pompey, especially as it would appear that their almost certain relegation anyway would negate the effect of the points deduction. April 1st would have certain appropriateness and would be good fun ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy_D Posted 21 March, 2013 Share Posted 21 March, 2013 http://pompeyownership.wordpress.com/2013/03/20/who-should-run-our-club-that-is-the-question/ Wouldn't mind betting he scanned through this thread to get those links... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingsland Red Posted 21 March, 2013 Share Posted 21 March, 2013 Interesting articles recently from the last few Pompey cash flow disasters. Try this one that I found in Kenneth Wolstenholme's Book of World Soccer 1968 when their manager considered them "a small town club" !!! George Smith, the ex-Sergeant-Major in the Royal Artillery, is regarded in football as a strict disciplinarian; still a bit of the old soldier. But he is also a 100 per cent humourist. I asked him during a television interview why he did not run a youth team at Portsmouth and his quick answer, without so much as a hint of a smile, was, "Why should I ? There's only fish in the sea around Portsmouth." Maybe you find that hard to swallow. Maybe you think back to those great Portsmouth stalwarts like Jimmy Dickinson, Harris, Froggatt and the rest. But George Smith, now the highly successful manager of Portsmouth, will wave you aside with a "It's no good kidding yourself that you are Manchester United when you are a struggling small town team with money a rare commodity." George Smith took over Portsmouth in 1961. He had been a player with Charlton Athletic, Brentford and Queen's Park Rangers and in the sixteen years of his career had never known a pay packet to exceed £12. His playing career over, he turned to coaching and managing. He lasted six months as the coach at Ipswich Town. Then he moved to the Football Association. From Lancaster Gate he made the short journey to Crystal Palace and tried his hand as the manager. He was there for a year and a half. During spells out of footballing work, he earned a living outside the game. Then came the Portsmouth offer. He went to Fratton Park and found only gloom and despondency Great and glorious had been the times at Portsmouth. In 1948-9 they had won the Championship of the First Division-by five points from Manchester United and Derby County. The following season they won the title again, this time on goal average from Sunderland. Then followed a gradual decline, until in May, 1959 they found themselves with only twenty-one points, nine fewer than Aston Villa. Both clubs were relegated. Aston Villa got back to the First Division at the first attempt. For Portsmouth there was no such happy ending to the story: they just missed relegation to the Third Division. But it was a fate delayed by only one season. In May 1961, they went down. They spent just one year in the ThirdDivision before rebounding back into the Second, but by this time the club was struggling financially. George Smith took stock. He was given a five years' contract after telling the Directors that he wanted to run things his way. He saw nothing but bleakness. Money was short, and more and more was being lost each week. The team was a bad one and there was little or nothing coming up from the reserves. For a short time, George Smith soldiered on. Then he announced his decision to the Board of Directors. The team was bad and there was little hope of a quick improvement. The debts totalled no less than £70,000. There was a reserve team, two other teams and a youth scheme, which alone was running away with £10,000 each year. It wasn't paying for itself. Neither were the reserve teams. So George Smith suggested that the whole lot be scrapped and that Portsmouth get by with a squad of 16 or r7 players. It was a suggestion received in astonished silence. To everyone it seemed like sheer madness. The Directors fell over themselves to put the arguments against the scheme. With reserve teams there would be no match practice for the players not in the first team. There would be no chance of giving up-and-coming youngsters some match play. And without junior teams and coaching schemes for the youth, there was no chance of finding any local footballing stars. It was then that George Smith probably coined his immortal phrase, "There's only fish in the sea around Portsmouth." He pointed out that the clubs just didn't have the money to afford the luxury of reserve teams and coaching schemes. Under his system the overheads would be cut tremendously, and there would be money around to pay fair wages and to buy ready-made players as and when they were needed. It all sounded madness, but the Directors agreed. How happy they must feel now that they did. For George Smith had thought out the perfect system for the small town team. Far too many clubs had tried to keep up with the Manchester United Joneses. They had found themselves trying to cope with the high wages paid bi the big teams and had consequently pushed themselves further and further into debt. Mistakenly they had blamed the removal of the maximum wage for their troubles, when in truth the trouble was caused by their own reckless over-spending. At Portsmouth it was different. The club only had what it couid afford. No money was wasted- and £10,000 on a coaching scheme which was not producing the goods was a waste of money. Two things were necessary-success on the field and liaison with the supporters off the field. In charge of the liaison was placed Jimmy Dickinson, one of the most popular players ever to wear the blue shirt of Portsmouth. He ran the highly successful pools scheme. He introduced a system whereby youngsters could visit Fratton Park, see behind the scenes and meet the players. It was all designed to increase the enthusiasm of the youngsters for their town team. Jrmmv Dickinson also realized that some families would go and see the team play but were prevented from doing so by the fact that they had no one to look after their childeren, So he devised a kiddies' room at Fratton Park where parents could leave their youngsters in the capable hands of trained people, go and watch the game and pick up the family afterwards. Meanwhile on the field George Smith fashioned the sort of team he wanted. From the squad of 16 or t7 he would choose eleven plus a substitute and the others would either be taken along to watch the game or sent on scouting missions-looking at forthcoming opposition. Everyone was trained to be versatile so that he could cover more than one role, and every player was fired with the "I love Portsmouth" feeling. George Smith is a strict disciplinarian of the old school.He cannot stand the modern trend towards long hair. Wiith a flashback to his old army days he would order any offender to get his locks cut - yes, even George Best.He doesn't like way out clothes any more than he likes gambling. He insists when his team go away they all wear the club uniform of blazer and slacks. He demands - and gets - devotion to the club and the team.If a player falls short on the test of character then he will be transferred and George Smith will use the money to buy a replacement. He will not, under any circumstances, tolerate slackers. He tells them that they are letting themselves down and also letting down the club, the Directors, their team-mates and the spectators- and they pay the money. His greatest hate is the player who moans about the run of the ball. You never hear that excuse at Portsmouth for there is the great story of George Smith hearing this from his players as an excuse for a defeat, took them all out onto the practice pitch, placed a ball on the ground and roared, "What run of the ball ? There's a ball and its stationary. It won't run for anyone until somebody kicks it. It can't run on its own, so if it runs against you in a match it's because the other side is making it do so.Your job is to make it run for YOU, not stand there hoping it will." He has the same sort of passionate views about rough and dirty play. He likes his men to go for the ball hard and with determination, but he will not stand any dirt. "The dirty player," he says, "lets everyone down, and with our small squad we can't afford to be let down." The odds are that more and more clubs are going to follow the Porstmouth lead of cutting their coat according to their cloth. The big clubs of football have moneystacks of it. But the vast majority of clubs are losing money every week and making up a bit of their loss with the help of their Supporters' Club pool. But Portsmouth have proved that it is silly to make money on the pools just to waste it, and a small club with a professional staff of 25-30 and an expensive youth coaching scheme hanging round its neck is wasting money hand over fist. Portsmouth have proved that it is possible to work the 16-man system and make money. Today their record speaks for itself, and they can look their bank manager straight in the eye-thanks to George Smith realizing that there are only fish in the sea around Portsmouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaMarlin Posted 21 March, 2013 Share Posted 21 March, 2013 Phil Miles, The Footy Poet, FFS. Perhaps he could help finish this off. "A p****y fan called Phil Miles, Went for a spin in a punt..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint_John Posted 21 March, 2013 Share Posted 21 March, 2013 http://pompeyownership.wordpress.com/2013/03/20/who-should-run-our-club-that-is-the-question/ I stopped reading when I came to this statement When considering my answer in full, I generally make the following points: Less than five years ago Portsmouth won the FA Cup and finished a very respectable 8th in the Premier League. The club had a (reportedly) sustainable debt at the time. He clearly does not remember Tony Husband telling them how much the FA Cup cost to buy http://s298.photobucket.com/user/Saint_John_Photos/media/Cheats%20FC/01FinancialRuin.mp4.html Perhaps he thinks £137M is sustainable debt or perhaps somebody told him they had a Banksy to sell ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trousers Posted 21 March, 2013 Share Posted 21 March, 2013 http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11674/8581455/Pompey-sensation You have come such a long way already in a short space of time. Playing for a club like Portsmouth at your age must be a real buzz? "This has always been my goal. I went to Farnborough and Whitehawk with the goal of always getting back to Portsmouth and just doing well. Then whatever happens, happens - but I am just really enjoying it - everyone knows what it is like to play at Fratton Park. I was playing in front of 100 people at Whitehawk 10 weeks ago and now I am playing in front of 10,000 at Portsmouth. Even if the 10 points come off and we get relegated, the size of Pompey is ridiculous - it is phenomenal." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts