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Pompey Takeover Saga

Fitzhugh Fella

By Fitzhugh Fella,
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GenevaSaint

GenevaSaint

Posted
Posted
No-one outside of the SO postcode gives a damn about attendances. You only try to make a big thing about it because that's all you can shout about. No-one else cares........

 

pfc123, just pointing out in the hour of your need, the best fans in the world stay away. FFS, you're weeks away from liquidation or administration, yet only 16,000 turn up at a crucial 6 pointer. Unfortunately, you're a long way from relegated just yet, so I'd expect bigger crowds.

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100%Red&White

100%Red&White

Posted
Posted
What should be done about it? What can you do, seriously tell me what an individual, that attends themselves can do to make others shell out £35 for a ticket?

 

BUT you would have thought that all those thousands that have stayed away from most of your home games, and with the loadsa money they've obviously saved in doing so, surely a few more could have found just THIRTY-FIVE POUNDS! for your most important game of the season to date? :smt102

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Torrent Of Abuse

Torrent Of Abuse

Posted
Posted
No-one outside of the SO postcode gives a damn about attendances. You only try to make a big thing about it because that's all you can shout about. No-one else cares........

 

Which is a significant slice of your problem. You're a club which has spent the last few years living as a top end Premiership club yet you can only reliably call on the support (and therefore income) of a Championship club. We, conversely, are a League One club but we can (and do) call on the support worthy of at least a Championship club and probably more like a respectable Premiership one, so the idea of a self-supporting club actually fits. You'll need a sugar daddy for some time, I think. We had a hard time managing finances with the Stadium mortgage chewing up a significant slice of our income. It took one bad season to kill us. You're feeling the same heat With your loans and you've bought nothing truly concrete. It's just a matter of time before it cooks you.

 

You may not care about attendances, but they will have a significant effect on your club's future. Whether that plays well on the PO postcodes or not won't make a bit of difference.

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StuRomseySaint

StuRomseySaint

Posted
Posted
No-one outside of the SO postcode gives a damn about attendances. You only try to make a big thing about it because that's all you can shout about. No-one else cares........

 

Bottom of the league.

Dodgy Chairman in court.

Dodgy ex-manager.

Russian Crook leaving you in the sh!t.

Dodgy Arab leaving you in the sh!t.

Another Dodgy Arab leaving you in the sh!t.

A dictators son trying to buy you.

You attendances.

Your pathetic protests.

Imminent Administration.

Not paying you players on time.

 

.... I could go on and on and on but there are just a few things we can shout about.

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StuRomseySaint

StuRomseySaint

Posted
Posted
What should be done about it? What can you do, seriously tell me what an individual, that attends themselves can do to make others shell out £35 for a ticket? It galls me that we could sell 60,000 tickets for Wembley Cup Final, 200,000 people turn out on the common and yet won't go regularly to Fratton park. What do you do? People are fickle, but it's not my place to go into work tomorrow and tell all the super Pompey fans that they're not fans because they don't go. I can only go myself.....Besides you'd not be being truthful if you failed to acknowledge that this malaise is affecting most unsuccessful clubs at the moment. I'll freely admit that Saints do have impressive attendances, but Norwich have impressed me even more, at the end of the day it means nothing to me as a Pompey fan.....

 

When did you sell 60,000 for an FA Cup Final? Your allocation of about 35,000 reached unrestricted general sale and you didn't even sell out the Semi or Charity Shield!

 

Why can't you just doff your hat and admit that you are a very poorly supported Premiership club in terms of numbers. You might make lots of noise, but that will dissapear once you finally get to a new stadium as well.

 

You are the Wigan of the South.

 

We do have impressive attendances... but then again, what is impressive? I don't feel that Man Utd have impressive attendances, or Arsenal, or Leeds, or Norwich... they just have more people who actively support them and turn up for games.

 

The reason people keep bringing up attendances is that Pompey fans on here will not admit that Southampton's fanbase is quite considerably larger than Pompeys, it's not impressive, it's a fact, and one that Saints fans feel they need to remind Pompey fans of quite often.

 

As for giving tickets away.... my old man is an Exec at a very large Portsmouth company who also do some sponsorship etc there... they have been given 50 pairs of tickets for your FA Cup game and had 25 pairs last night... seems like you are getting a free for all.

 

Say what you like about us giving away tickets... out Season ticket holder base is not that much less than the amount of Pompey fans who were at Fratton yesterday... so it doesn't effect our attendances much.

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Liquidshokk

Liquidshokk

Posted
Posted

Plenty of sites saying there is lots of interest. Not gadaffi either...

 

Who in their right mind would buy that club. What are they actually getting for their millions?!?!?!?!!??!!

 

there is an opening for yet new owners to emerge, and it is understood that could happen in the next 48 hours.

 

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=731439&sec=england&cc=5739

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pedg

pedg

Posted
Posted
Plenty of sites saying there is lots of interest. Not gadaffi either...

 

Who in their right mind would buy that club. What are they actually getting for their millions?!?!?!?!!??!!

 

 

 

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=731439&sec=england&cc=5739

 

Mmmm, a source inside the club who claims to knows the inner workings of the negotiations but does not know what day the salaries are due to be paid? Surely an insider would know if payments are due on a Sunday which day of the week they would generally pay them on?

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ottery st mary

ottery st mary

Posted
Posted

The same rumours originating from Jacob and Storrie..no doubt..

Just before pay day...Smokescreen to cover the non/late payment of wages once again...Although the PL have helped them out this week....Pompey are still in serious trouble and have to clear some players very quickly......Just reducing the few players wages will not be enough.

 

 

COYRs

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Liquidshokk

Liquidshokk

Posted
Posted
The same rumours originating from Jacob and Storrie..no doubt..

Just before pay day...Smokescreen to cover the non/late payment of wages once again...Although the PL have helped them out this week....Pompey are still in serious trouble and have to clear some players very quickly......Just reducing the few players wages will not be enough.

 

 

COYRs

 

Hasnt the embargo been lifted? Guess they will try to get players in on free transfers and loan deals to patch up any holes left by players they will be forced to sell. Despite their current position im sure there are lots of half decent players out there not getting games that would jump at the opportunity of playing for a premiership side.

All goes someway to making it easier for us to beat them though i guess :D

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Fowllyd

Fowllyd

Posted
Posted
Plenty of sites saying there is lots of interest. Not gadaffi either...

 

Who in their right mind would buy that club. What are they actually getting for their millions?!?!?!?!!??!!

 

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=731439&sec=england&cc=5739

 

That article doesn't say anything of any value, though. It claims that there's growing optimism at PFC, but as far as I can see everything in it is based on a single source - a "Fratton Park insider" who reveals the startling news that:

 

The club is looking at all their options. Either the present owners will refinance, which is not so easy, or new owners can come in.

 

Er, no sh1t, Sherlock - I'd never have guessed at those two options. I can guess at a couple of totally different ones though...

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Liquidshokk

Liquidshokk

Posted
Posted
That article doesn't say anything of any value, though. It claims that there's growing optimism at PFC, but as far as I can see everything in it is based on a single source - a "Fratton Park insider" who reveals the startling news that:

 

 

 

Er, no sh1t, Sherlock - I'd never have guessed at those two options. I can guess at a couple of totally different ones though...

 

Guess we'll know more tomorrow as they are supposed to be having talks with potential new owners tonight...

 

...Maybe its all got too much and they have started talking to themselves :rolleyes:

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ottery st mary

ottery st mary

Posted
Posted
Hasnt the embargo been lifted? Guess they will try to get players in on free transfers and loan deals to patch up any holes left by players they will be forced to sell. Despite their current position im sure there are lots of half decent players out there not getting games that would jump at the opportunity of playing for a premiership side.

All goes someway to making it easier for us to beat them though i guess :D

 

You are right..we even have some at Saints not good enough for our squad or reserve side.....I would guess the players incoming would want wages and some form of assurance the money will be in their bank on time...:)

 

I can't see any clubs..unless Arry has some guilt and persuades Spurs/Levy to help...to pay players wages they loan to Pompey.....Transfers out and cash in will be the only way Pompey get through the next few weeks.:rolleyes:

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Saint_John

Saint_John

Posted
Posted
Have they put in an appeal yet, ref VAT

 

The 7 days is now up and I've not seen anything on the High Court web site for each of the last 7 days.

http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/cms/courthearings.htm

 

I think the Skates would have been shouting from their caravan roof tops if they had won the appeal.

 

Therefore I would assume that Feb 10th is still on.

 

As a side issue I never knew Arry was really called HENRY.

http://www.cps.gov.uk/news/press_releases/102_10/

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Channon's Sideburns

Channon's Sideburns

Posted
Posted
The 7 days is now up and I've not seen anything on the High Court web site for each of the last 7 days.

http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/cms/courthearings.htm

 

I think the Skates would have been shouting from their caravan roof tops if they had won the appeal.

 

Therefore I would assume that Feb 10th is still on.

 

As a side issue I never knew Arry was really called HENRY.

http://www.cps.gov.uk/news/press_releases/102_10/

 

Yes..indeed ol' 'Arry is very good at hoovering..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(said his wife overheard at Sainsburys)

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Wurzel

Wurzel

Posted
Posted
Guess we'll know more tomorrow as they are supposed to be having talks with potential new owners tonight...

 

Ring Ring

 

"Good afternoon Portsmouth Football Club"

 

"Hello, I have £100m I don't need and am thinking of buying a football club. Can I speak to your owner please."

 

"Certainly Sir. Ummm when you say owner, what do you mean exactly?"

 

"The person who owns the club of course, please put me through I'm in a hurry"

 

"When you say "owns the club" do you mean the team, or the stadium, or the land it's on, or the one the doesn't really own anything but sort of controls it all?"

 

"I jut wish to speak to the man in charge of the club"

 

" Certainly Sir, ummmm when you say "man in charge ....."

 

"Forget it. I'll ring Crystal Palace"

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Goalie66

Goalie66

Posted
Posted
The 7 days is now up and I've not seen anything on the High Court web site for each of the last 7 days.

http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/cms/courthearings.htm

 

I think the Skates would have been shouting from their caravan roof tops if they had won the appeal.

 

Therefore I would assume that Feb 10th is still on.

 

As a side issue I never knew Arry was really called HENRY.

http://www.cps.gov.uk/news/press_releases/102_10/

 

Re Henry V at Agincourt ... "England, Harry and St George"

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PES

PES

Posted
Posted
Two points here I think PES.

 

 

  • It was a genuine 6 pointer, which you would expect to sell out easily.

 

  • Skates, before they came up, were always telling us about their fantastic support and how they would pack out a massive new stadium.

I know money it tight for an awful lot of people and that there must be some serious disillusionment amongst home fans, but the crowd last night was appalling.

 

Agree. Yet everyone at my place of work is talking about the game. 3 years ago these so-and-so went every other week.....:confused:

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PES

PES

Posted
Posted
When did you sell 60,000 for an FA Cup Final? Your allocation of about 35,000 reached unrestricted general sale and you didn't even sell out the Semi or Charity Shield!

 

Why can't you just doff your hat and admit that you are a very poorly supported Premiership club in terms of numbers. You might make lots of noise, but that will dissapear once you finally get to a new stadium as well.

 

You are the Wigan of the South.

 

We do have impressive attendances... but then again, what is impressive? I don't feel that Man Utd have impressive attendances, or Arsenal, or Leeds, or Norwich... they just have more people who actively support them and turn up for games.

 

The reason people keep bringing up attendances is that Pompey fans on here will not admit that Southampton's fanbase is quite considerably larger than Pompeys, it's not impressive, it's a fact, and one that Saints fans feel they need to remind Pompey fans of quite often.

 

As for giving tickets away.... my old man is an Exec at a very large Portsmouth company who also do some sponsorship etc there... they have been given 50 pairs of tickets for your FA Cup game and had 25 pairs last night... seems like you are getting a free for all.

 

Say what you like about us giving away tickets... out Season ticket holder base is not that much less than the amount of Pompey fans who were at Fratton yesterday... so it doesn't effect our attendances much.

 

Never said we'd sold 60,000 tickets for a cup final Stu. It was a conservative estimate as to how many could of been sold (I think 60,000 is bugger all for a cup final). Also I've never denied Saints had a bigger Fanbase than Pompey, thats what 27 years in the top flight will do for you. Well done. I'm really not in tune with the arguement whatsoever? Man Utd have many times more fans than Saints, so what? I don't see how it's even an issue? It's certainly not something I have a problem with? :confused:

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PES

PES

Posted
Posted
pompey give hundreds of tickets away to the royal navy every home game....that is a fact

 

And so we should TDD. Very proud of Portsmouth's naval heritage. I'd hope if demand allows Saints would go down the Docks and hand out freebies too.

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pfc123

pfc123

Posted
Posted
Surely though attendances are paramount to you in your current predicament. I would imagine that money raised from your STH is long since gone - therefore your walk up support is the only gate monies coming into the club at the moment. I believe that you need all the funds you can get right now.

 

It is actually more important though, that you show any potential investors that the fans are still behind the club, and that they will support them should they wish to mount a takeover bid. It would be a far better endorsement of your fanbase than having John Westwood dressed in his clown suit on SSN shouting at potential investors to come and save you.

 

I have heard more than one commentator recently make comment on the number of empty seats at FP - therefore as you can see, not only is it important, but others outside of the SO postcode do give a damn - perhaps it is time that your JCL did the same.

 

Of course attendances are important as it dictates the level of income to a larger or smaller degree. What I'm saying is that I'm past caring talking about attendances in a Pompey v saints tense.

 

It's a ******** argument that can and will go on and on and on because both clubs have always been at different ends of the up/down cycle of league status, ground quality and size and whether the fans can see the team on an upward slope or downward one.

 

The only way to ever get to grips with it once and for all is if and when we get a similar quality ground to SMS and you're in the same division as us. Also, we'll need to be on the same upward or downward curve, with similar amounts of funding available from our respective boards and TV. Until those criteria are met, my eyes will continue to glaze over when this futile argument comes up over and over again.........

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bridge too far

bridge too far

Posted
Posted (edited)
SSN reporting Notts County given 28 days by High Court to settle £324K debt to HMRC or they WILL be wound up.

 

In the absence of their appeal, it looks like the Skates will have about six weeks to find £7.5M to pay HMRC or that's it. End of. Finito.

 

That's slightly at odds with the BBC's take on the matter:

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/notts_county/8476737.stm

 

This is interesting because firstly the amount HMRC are petitioning for is £2m according to this report and secondly there is talk of a second petition.

 

I think it means that HMRC have agreed to wait 28 days in the light of the reported investment. The investors apparently need 28 days to do due dilligence.

 

The Poopey case is different in that there doesn't realistically appear to be any inward investment on the horizon. I don't, therefore, think that HMRC will hold off before presenting a second petition. I think they'll go for the jugular first time around :D

 

Oh BBC now posting further information:

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/notts_county/8483226.stm

Edited by bridge too far
Update from BBC website
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pfc123

pfc123

Posted
Posted
pfc123, just pointing out in the hour of your need, the best fans in the world stay away. FFS, you're weeks away from liquidation or administration, yet only 16,000 turn up at a crucial 6 pointer. Unfortunately, you're a long way from relegated just yet, so I'd expect bigger crowds.

 

"ONLY 16,000?" How many of you bought tickets for the 'save the saints' game was launched in a blaze of publicity when you'd gone a lot further down the track than we are at the moment? 1500.

 

All the excuses in the world that are regularly trotted out on here about "we never knew it was on", and "it was only a bunch of amatuers and ex pro's" and "I would have gone but looked in my diary and I realised I was going to be watching television that afternoon" etc etc, don't amount to to didly when you look at the fact that at the time it was being put together you were in deep, deep do-do and needed every penny to stay alive.

 

You see what I mean? Futile argument, absolutely futile.....

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Ponty

Ponty

Posted
Posted

I'm am bored of reading about pointless attendance figures on this thread! We didn't fill SMS when we were on the rocks and they're not filling FP. It says nothing more than, the hardcore attendance aside, football fans are fickle and only want to see success. Failure does not interest them.

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100%Red&White

100%Red&White

Posted
Posted
"ONLY 16,000?" How many of you bought tickets for the 'save the saints' game was launched in a blaze of publicity when you'd gone a lot further down the track than we are at the moment? 1500.

 

All the excuses in the world that are regularly trotted out on here about "we never knew it was on", and "it was only a bunch of amatuers and ex pro's" and "I would have gone but looked in my diary and I realised I was going to be watching television that afternoon" etc etc, don't amount to to didly when you look at the fact that at the time it was being put together you were in deep, deep do-do and needed every penny to stay alive.

 

You see what I mean? Futile argument, absolutely futile.....

 

Not a good example.

 

1500 advanced tickets sold to watch a bunch of 60 yr olds chase a ball round, I'm sure more would have been sold leading up to the game but as it was cancelled well before we'll never know.

 

A good example.

 

25,000 turning up at SMS for a 'league' game and similar attendances for the next and last two in our 'hour of need'.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And you had a ground that held 30-odd(very odd!)thousand in 1987 when you came up (significantly larger than the Dell) and your "massive support" that year could only half-fill fartton for most of the season

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miserableoldgit

miserableoldgit

Posted
Posted
I'm am bored of reading about pointless attendance figures on this thread! We didn't fill SMS when we were on the rocks and they're not filling FP. It says nothing more than, the hardcore attendance aside, football fans are fickle and only want to see success. Failure does not interest them.

Not even "The Bestest Fans in the World?"

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hypochondriac

hypochondriac

Posted
Posted
"ONLY 16,000?" How many of you bought tickets for the 'save the saints' game was launched in a blaze of publicity when you'd gone a lot further down the track than we are at the moment? 1500.

 

All the excuses in the world that are regularly trotted out on here about "we never knew it was on", and "it was only a bunch of amatuers and ex pro's" and "I would have gone but looked in my diary and I realised I was going to be watching television that afternoon" etc etc, don't amount to to didly when you look at the fact that at the time it was being put together you were in deep, deep do-do and needed every penny to stay alive.

 

You see what I mean? Futile argument, absolutely futile.....

 

The "save the saints" game was a self appointed title. Anyone with half a brain knew it would make no difference. Look at our attendances for actual games that matter just before then.

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pedg

pedg

Posted
Posted
The "save the saints" game was a self appointed title. Anyone with half a brain knew it would make no difference. Look at our attendances for actual games that matter just before then.

 

If John PFC Westwood tried organising a 'save our pompey' game with a team of invited campanologists taking on a team of caravaners how many tickets do you think he would be able to sell?

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Micky

Micky

Posted
Posted
Of course attendances are important as it dictates the level of income to a larger or smaller degree. What I'm saying is that I'm past caring talking about attendances in a Pompey v saints tense.

 

It's a ******** argument that can and will go on and on and on because both clubs have always been at different ends of the up/down cycle of league status, ground quality and size and whether the fans can see the team on an upward slope or downward one.

 

The only way to ever get to grips with it once and for all is if and when we get a similar quality ground to SMS and you're in the same division as us. Also, we'll need to be on the same upward or downward curve, with similar amounts of funding available from our respective boards and TV. Until those criteria are met, my eyes will continue to glaze over when this futile argument comes up over and over again.........

 

I see what you mean and who knows, perhaps someday all the variables will be of a similar value in order to put the argument to bed forever. You have a whole lot of improving to do in order to achieve that though!

 

As for the 'curves' - irrespective of each clubs current league status, there is no way in the world that I would want to swap curves with Pompey as they are heading in vastley different directions - I doubt that any other SFC fan would either. ;)

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Doctoroncall

Doctoroncall

Posted
Posted
The "save the saints" game was a self appointed title. Anyone with half a brain knew it would make no difference. Look at our attendances for actual games that matter just before then.

 

Not only that, there were many other events before this that were organised to raise money from a concert to pledges, this was a bridge too far.

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aintforever

aintforever

Posted
Posted (edited)
"ONLY 16,000?" How many of you bought tickets for the 'save the saints' game was launched in a blaze of publicity when you'd gone a lot further down the track than we are at the moment? 1500.

 

All the excuses in the world that are regularly trotted out on here about "we never knew it was on", and "it was only a bunch of amatuers and ex pro's" and "I would have gone but looked in my diary and I realised I was going to be watching television that afternoon" etc etc, don't amount to to didly when you look at the fact that at the time it was being put together you were in deep, deep do-do and needed every penny to stay alive.

 

You see what I mean? Futile argument, absolutely futile.....

 

The game after we went into admin we sold over 27,000.

 

That's Saints V Charlton in the CHAMPIONSHIP and no freebies handed out. That's 10,000 more than you despite being in a league below.

 

Plus, we know from experience that being in the Prem attracts many neutrals, I wonder what your attendances would be if you took those out of the equation?

Edited by aintforever
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