Pompey Takeover Saga

[View From The Top]

I can honestly say I am not gutted - I have never put any credence in attendance figures, as I have stated before - its division, recent trophies and results that are the bragging rights not some we are bigger than you coz we have more fans lark. To me that argument tailors more towards the team who are currently feeling inferior, yes I do mean you.

 

Sorry mush, I have never felt inferior to the skates and I never will. We were born superior and we know it.:cool:

 

In fact, odd as it may seem, I feel better about my club now than I have at any stage since WGS left.

 

I think it's fair to say that I, like many others, have fallen in love again. I really, really enjoy going again!

 

Now, points A) Surprised? C) Would you get the same?

[OldNick]

I can honestly say I am not gutted - I have never put any credence in attendance figures, as I have stated before - its division, recent trophies and results that are the bragging rights not some we are bigger than you coz we have more fans lark. To me that argument tailors more towards the team who are currently feeling inferior, yes I do mean you.

i think all fans would swap league positions with you.

I wouldnt swap much else though. The FA cup win was a win but it was the most low key event that i can recall in recent history. The game was poor and I doubt many will recall it with effection in years to come. Now if Cardiff had rightly won then.......

[benjii]

i think all fans would swap league positions with you.

I wouldnt swap much else though. The FA cup win was a win but it was the most low key event that i can recall in recent history. The game was poor and I doubt many will recall it with effection in years to come. Now if Cardiff had rightly won then.......

 

 

It's funny how little their cup win annoyed me.

 

I think if they has stormed through it, outplaying the likes of Preston, West Browm and Cardiff at a canter I might have been annoyed. But they fluked wins against those three, as well as Man U.

 

Don't get me wrong, if Cardiff had scored in the final I would have been jumping around the lounge but I think all that day did was reinforce my opinion that we will always be a much bigger club than them. They managed just about all they will ever manage and it didn't hurt, it didn't last and they haven't capitalised on it at all. They remain a League One/lower Championship outfit in the Premier League. That can't last for too long. Similarly, a Premier League outfit can't remain in League One for long.

[warsash saint]

So Corpy, with all your facts to hand, do you honestly think that at this point in time that P*mpey are a better supported club than Saints ?

[Micky]

I can honestly say I am not gutted - I have never put any credence in attendance figures, as I have stated before - its division, recent trophies and results that are the bragging rights not some we are bigger than you coz we have more fans lark. To me that argument tailors more towards the team who are currently feeling inferior, yes I do mean you.

 

Yep - you're right, crowd figures of 30 years ago have absolutley naff to do with where we are now. You are in the Premiership whilst we languish rock bottom of League 1, little chance of promotion this year, more likely of dropping further.

 

Ahhhh but, 'feeling inferior' - sorry - not a cat in hells chance. Why? We have just come through the darkest days in our recent history, we have a great infrastructure, we have an owner who knows how to run successful business's, we have a manager that most clubs in this league would never be able to attract and we have a decent set of players (for this league) with more to follow in the transfer window.

 

So you see - with all of this optimism running around SMS, you'll forgive me if I decline to swap shirts with you, or to feel at all inferior.

 

BTW - all the very best for the season - I hope (and believe) you will survive. See you in a couple of years.

[miserableoldgit]

I can honestly say I am not gutted - I have never put any credence in attendance figures, as I have stated before - its division, recent trophies and results that are the bragging rights not some we are bigger than you coz we have more fans lark. To me that argument tailors more towards the team who are currently feeling inferior, yes I do mean you.

Strangely I don`t feel inferior at all. We have a superb stadium with excellent attendances,we have a real billionaire owner, we are debt free, we have a very professional and realistic board, we have a decent manager who is putting together a good exciting team to chase realistic goals (two promotions) and even more importantly I am enjoying going to watch my team more than I have for a good few years. Can you say the same? What are we supposed to feel inferior about?? Your ground, training facilities, crowds, team,or prospects? Your succession of dodgy owners who seem to have very little money but a lot of promises? Do I want to be in the Prem? Of course. But when we get there we will be able to live within our means and give it a good go not do a Redknapp/Storrie and spend money regardless of the consequences.

[Micky]

That appears to be the crowd figures and the inferiority complexes put to bed then - whats next...?

[JonnyLove]

That appears to be the crowd figures and the inferiority complexes put to bed then - whats next...?

 

Um they still don't have any money and will be in Admin inside of a month??

[rallyboy]

I don't get how some supporters are still happy to trade a scraped win over Cardiff City against the whole future of their club.

We all know that Redknapp and Storrie overspent ludicrously and bought the trophy (fifteen years after it meant anything), only now is it being decided how much they have to pay for it -

is it to be six months of embarrased lonely silence surrounded by empty seats or a couple of years of misery, it may be a generation of failure, or possibly still, the end of the road?

 

If someone offered me promotion this year but with a fifty-fifty chance of admin within two years I would decline, call that unambitious but IMO you cannot trade in success using the whole club history as security.

 

Do Leeds fans look back lovingly and celebrate their ill-fated Champions League campaign and Ridsdale's wonderful fish collection?

Do we look back and glorify in the last few years of mismanagement saying we wouldn't change a thing?

 

No, but the blue few still stubbornly insist it was worth endangering all of their history just to turn over some fellow caravanners.....like the Fratton redevelopment budget, that just doesn't add up, and like the debt mountain that is PFC, I don't buy it.

 

Which funnily enough is what every serious investor has said after meeting Storrie with their mothers at the Little Chef in Barnet.

[aintforever]

It's amazing how the Skates still think they are a bigger club even though we are two leagues below them getting bigger crowds.

 

Sure, a good ground helps attendances but blimey, St Marys is not that good!

 

17,826 watched pompey take on Tevez, Adebayor, Bellamy 'n' co's Man City in the World's richest, most glamourous league.

 

19,169 watched bottom of table Southampton play Brentford (including such crowd pullers as Cleveland Taylor, Myles Weston and Danny Foster) in England's 3rd league.

 

It's not even close, I would guess that all things equal, Southampton's support would be 1/4 to 1/3 bigger.

[Elmore]

English Premier

Southampton

2 (0) - 1(0) Middlesbro

At The Dell on 29-08-1992

Attendance: 13003

 

 

English Premier

Southampton

2 (0) - 2(0) MK Dons

At The Dell on 17-10-1992

Attendance: 11221

 

English Premier

Southampton

1 (0) - 0(0) Oldham

At The Dell on 31-10-1992

Attendance: 10827

 

English Premier

Southampton

3 (2) - 0(0) Norwich

At The Dell on 10-02-1993

Attendance: 12969

 

Let me know if you need anymore (there are plenty more). Yes, these attendance figures are before the Premiership bubble, so add on another 5 or 6k for that and your pretty much at what we get.

 

Like for like our all time average attendance is higher than yours

The fact is the stadium makes all the difference. Everybody knows that. It is basic business principles.

 

But the all-time attendances are partly based on estimates so can be discounted as reliable.

[View From The Top]

I see that their DoF was appointed by the owners, without the knowledge of the club or manager.

 

Murky goings on again me thinks.

[Thedelldays]

Let's hope their new owner sorts em out. Their youth team train everyday at HMS Collingwood where I'm doing a career course. At the end of the day a loa if half clapped out transit style vans with Portamouth FC plastered all over them turn up at the canteen in the base to whisk them home.

 

I had my saints top on this afternoon in the canteen (galley) when they were all there having lunch. Got loads of scummer taunts (good natured may I add) to which I pointed out that our youth team are probably using the very best facilities you can get whilst thy use a navy base.

 

On another note. The gym here are still trying to give away tickets for the Pompey game on sat. Good to see they are selling out again

[Merovingian]

I don't get how some supporters are still happy to trade a scraped win over Cardiff City against the whole future of their club.

We all know that Redknapp and Storrie overspent ludicrously and bought the trophy (fifteen years after it meant anything), only now is it being decided how much they have to pay for it .

 

like we or any other club have a choice what the owner, ceo and manager try to do, if we survive this year and stabilise then buying the fa cup worked did it not ? albeit by the skin of our teeth. Isn't there an element of buying most trophies and titles these days anyway? How many prem clubs are in debt.....

[benjii]

Let's hope their new owner sorts em out. Their youth team train everyday at HMS Collingwood where I'm doing a career course. At the end of the day a loa if half clapped out transit style vans with Portamouth FC plastered all over them turn up at the canteen in the base to whisk them home.

 

I had my saints top on this afternoon in the canteen (galley) when they were all there having lunch. Got loads of scummer taunts (good natured may I add) to which I pointed out that our youth team are probably using the very best facilities you can get whilst thy use a navy base.

 

On another note. The gym here are still trying to give away tickets for the Pompey game on sat. Good to see they are selling out again

 

 

I've played hockey at HMS Collingwood. Fact.

[Merovingian]

do you still play benji? I captain a fareham side

[benjii]

do you still play benji? I captain a fareham side

 

No, last time I played competitively for Southampton was about 5 years ago. We got royally shafted by the umpire the last time I played at Collingwood! :mad:

[View From The Top]

do you still play benji? I captain a fareham side

 

Rupert?

[Merovingian]

Cheeky sod lol

[PES]

do you still play benji? I captain a fareham side

 

I hope your not one of them Fareham Hockey so and so's who Park down Deanes Park Road on a Matchday? The residential parking nightmares that lot cause, along with the bloody Cricketers!

[Merovingian]

yep, one of them my friend, meh !!! lol new clubhouse at henry cort soon. I actually get my lot to meet at HC, easier parking

[PES]

yep, one of them my friend, meh !!! lol new clubhouse at henry cort soon. I actually get my lot to meet at HC, easier parking

 

Good man! It's supposed to be going Resident only parking Mon-Sat 8.00AM -6.00PM as of next year, we get it terrible what with the Town Workers, Shoppers, Cricketers and Hockey players all parking down here, Wouldn't mind if you guys actually 'played' Hockey down the Rec?!? To be fair, the Cricket and Hockey clubs have been here decades, It's only when combined with the town parking people that have made it unbearable in the last few years. If your moving to HC whats happening to the clubhouse then? Are the cricket club taking it over?

[Gemmel]

yep, one of them my friend, meh !!! lol new clubhouse at henry cort soon. I actually get my lot to meet at HC, easier parking

 

At least one sports club in pompey is investing in their infrastructure

[Katalinic]

http://www.portsmouth.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=173838

 

Comedy Gold - I particularly liked:

 

"PS was asked if there were any more financial surprises. He said no. He was then asked who owns the land around FP. He said he did not know".

 

PS in selective knowledge shocker.

[NickG]

It's amazing how the Skates still think they are a bigger club even though we are two leagues below them getting bigger crowds.

 

Sure, a good ground helps attendances but blimey, St Marys is not that good!

 

17,826 watched pompey take on Tevez, Adebayor, Bellamy 'n' co's Man City in the World's richest, most glamourous league.

 

19,169 watched bottom of table Southampton play Brentford (including such crowd pullers as Cleveland Taylor, Myles Weston and Danny Foster) in England's 3rd league.

 

It's not even close, I would guess that all things equal, Southampton's support would be 1/4 to 1/3 bigger.

 

agree with all of that -except last line.

 

like for like situations we would probably nearly double their crowds.

 

blue few.

[Gingeletiss]

http://www.portsmouth.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=173838

 

Comedy Gold - I particularly liked:

 

 

Lol at these............

 

PS was asked what he was going to do for the younger fans? He said he was reducing the ticket prices, in some cases to a pound to encourage kids to come in and to bring adults with them. He was hoping to include a family enclosure in the new stadium for 3,000 people.

 

He said there would be further improvements in January and next summer and said it was insulting when people referred to our team as a championship side. He said this was not the case at all and that we were beginning to play good football.

 

When asked if Pompey would stay up and why he thought so, PS said that our team was better than at least a dozen teams in the Premier League at the moment. He said they had only played four games together and were now gelling well. PH said that we would stay up. He said we have the quality and the talent and could now close a game off.

 

PS was asked about hosting the world cup and he said that it would be possible todo that at Fratton Park which could be temporarily adapted to seat 45,000. He said Portsmouth had a good chance of being one of the hosts.

 

PH was asked how tricky the opening matches were. He said they thought they could cope, but had had bad luck. The only bad game we had was Arsenal. If we had had some luck, we could have won some of the others. He believed that with the team spirit that prevailed the team would be causing other teams many problems.

[rallyboy]

and Phil's suggestions about internal middle east conflict at Fratton seem to be coming to fruition according the The Sun.

 

Tomorrow will tell us what shape they are really in, if they were to turn over Spurs it will mean the train wreck is slowing down.

But another home defeat on top of continued financial uncertainty and the fat lass is adjusting the microphone stand.

[dubai_phil]

and Phil's suggestions about internal middle east conflict at Fratton seem to be coming to fruition according the The Sun.

 

Tomorrow will tell us what shape they are really in, if they were to turn over Spurs it will mean the train wreck is slowing down.

But another home defeat on top of continued financial uncertainty and the fat lass is adjusting the microphone stand.

 

It wasn't rocket science...

 

When you consider that Dubai (where Al Fahim lives) CANCELLED New Year's Eve a couple of years ago because of the Israeli's invading Gaza so we could all "mourn" together.....

 

You don't need to be a career Diplomat to understand that ALL they panic about over there is who might have some money, and not what happens the day before it gets paid into the bank

[INFLUENCED.COM]

suggestions about internal middle east conflict at Fratton

 

Will the Americans invade ?

(maybe it will still be headed up by a George but Gillett instead of Bush)

[Joey-deacons-left-nut]

It's amazing how the Skates still think they are a bigger club even though we are two leagues below them getting bigger crowds.

 

We're pretty much the same size, we may have the odd thoudsand fans more than them, but let's be honest, it's small fry when the big teams are getting 60k fans in.....

 

We can argue amongst ourselves over who is the better club, all we have going for us is we have better facilities. And that's it.

 

All this talk of attendances is pretty stupid as it's not really much of a measure of anything when our setups are currently miles appart.

[rallyboy]

Al Fahim has just announced -

I will remain head of the club’s board of directors for two seasons. Moreover, I kept 100 percent of the club’s real estate assets and this is something nobody has paid attention to or spoken about. I am announcing this for the first time that [the real estate assets] are owned by the Al Fahim Group. Without doubt the real estate aspect is important in sports investment. Praise be to God, I was able to transfer all the club’s debts to the new owner and I gained excellent revenue........

 

Bit of a BOMBSHELL if he can be believed on this one, I think he is saying he has asset-stripped the club of the adjacent land and left them with the ground only?.....if it's true it means they have nowhere to develop anymore and he can do whatever he wants with only a 10% concern about the annoying neighbour Mr Faraj and his little strip of football pitch surrounded by sheds.

If true, and with him it's a big if, he isn't the bumbling idiot we all thought and he has just royally shafted the new owner and given himself a veto and a chance to name his price on any future ground improvements.

[View From The Top]

Al Fahim has just announced -

I will remain head of the club’s board of directors for two seasons. Moreover, I kept 100 percent of the club’s real estate assets and this is something nobody has paid attention to or spoken about. I am announcing this for the first time that [the real estate assets] are owned by the Al Fahim Group. Without doubt the real estate aspect is important in sports investment. Praise be to God, I was able to transfer all the club’s debts to the new owner and I gained excellent revenue........

 

Bit of a BOMBSHELL if he can be believed on this one, I think he is saying he has asset-stripped the club of the adjacent land and left them with the ground only?.....if it's true it means they have nowhere to develop anymore and he can do whatever he wants with only a 10% concern about the annoying neighbour Mr Faraj and his little strip of football pitch surrounded by sheds.

If true, and with him it's a big if, he isn't the bumbling idiot we all thought and he has just royally shafted the new owner and given himself a veto and a chance to name his price on any future ground improvements.

 

Linky?

[saint lard]

Linky?

 

http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=3&id=18494

[Katalinic]

http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=3&id=18494

 

Lol, no wonder Storrie-teller pretended he didn't know who owned the land around the stadium at the skate fans forum last night.

 

Seems to me from that interview that Al-Fahim is saving face in terms of selling for a profit but the underlying vibe is that that Storrie has p***ed him off - if all of this is true then they cannot re-develop without Al-Fahim agreeing/being bought out.

 

If Al-Fahim has shafted them then as he says, Praise be To God

Edited 16 October, 2009 by Katalinic

[View From The Top]

http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=3&id=18494

 

Now, if that were to be true, then very big LOL.

[hypochondriac]

Storrie says he doesn't know who owns the land then saf comes out with this. Almost certainly true IMO and very funny

[Thedelldays]

 

If Al-Fahim has shafted them then as he says, Praise be To God

 

Agent SAF....lol

[St Chalet]

"For your information, the financial value of the players is over 60 million pounds"

:smt046

[benjii]

http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=3&id=18494

 

Sadly, completely made up IMO.

[View From The Top]

Sadly, completely made up IMO.

 

The one thing, and only thing, that makes me think that there maybe something in it is that PS, just the night before, had said that he has no idea about who owns the land.

[Merovingian]

its deffo not real and another one of his bleatings I reckon, view from the top - the reason storrie said that was because even when fahim bought the club - gaydamak still owned the land around fratton park, which was going to be the stumbling block to the asl faraj deal, however between sasha and faraj an agreement was made. what this is I don't know but as far as we were aware SAF never owned it in the first place

[aintforever]

but as far as we were aware SAF never owned it in the first place

 

You were never really aware of anything though were you?

[dubai_phil]

Oh Lord, that interview is priceless...

 

I saw it as a good investment - lol at wearing the shirt

I sold it for a profit - lol first time anything with the name PFC related to it has made a profit in years..

 

and my favourite

There will be more deals soon in this regard - YES, he's gonna asset strip the whole of English Football.

He failed to develop the club - JEEZ who was this guy? New stadium in 6 weeks? Finding 25,000 new supporters - Good grief

 

But hang on, they had financial trouble

And yet some bloke has come in and within 6 weeks made a profit

 

And the club's officers were doing WHAT exactly during this time.

 

It goes on and on and on and on and on and on

 

Something like 12 million profit for 6 weeks of marketing bs, hell that's what I call working for a living...

 

As I posted once before, Chris Ryan's latest book, page two SAS rules of engagement in Iraq rule 1 Never Trust a ***head

 

Why Sky and the Premier League have destroyed football with Greed.

 

Lesson to be learnt here, when seeing a new owner sitting in the stands wearing a club shirt - be afraid, be VERY afraid.

[Merovingian]

its a quite a corker n'est pas ?

[OldNick]

if he is correct with his interview he has certainly pulled off a coup.

If he got 10m profit from Al Faraj and still kept the land around FP he has pulled off a fantastic deal.

I cant believe that PS would be that stupid to have let that happen, after all his 1.2m wage should get the best.

[benjii]

The reason I think it's rubbish is:

 

1) I don't think he paid £60m; I think he paid about a £1.

 

2) I don't think he sold it for £70m If he did then Al Faraj must be mental (if it's even his money).

 

3) Why would you let him keep a load of other stuff?

 

There's no commercial sense in any of that.

[Merovingian]

there is a good article in the guardian stating some supposed facts, one of the only things he got wrong was that Faraj is the sole investor as far as we know. You will be pleased to know he states al faraj is not thought to be a billionaire

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2009/oct/17/portsmouth-al-fahim-faraj-harry-redknapp

Edited 17 October, 2009 by Merovingian

[ALWAYS_SFC]

Just said on Solent that it`s "sellout" at farrton....

 

Coming to watch their team or just to welcome their hero back?

 

 

Good Old `Arry...they love him...

[mack rill]

Oh Lord, that interview is priceless...

 

I saw it as a good investment - lol at wearing the shirt

I sold it for a profit - lol first time anything with the name PFC related to it has made a profit in years..

 

and my favourite

There will be more deals soon in this regard - YES, he's gonna asset strip the whole of English Football.

He failed to develop the club - JEEZ who was this guy? New stadium in 6 weeks? Finding 25,000 new supporters - Good grief

 

But hang on, they had financial trouble

And yet some bloke has come in and within 6 weeks made a profit

 

And the club's officers were doing WHAT exactly during this time.

 

It goes on and on and on and on and on and on

 

Something like 12 million profit for 6 weeks of marketing bs, hell that's what I call working for a living...

 

As I posted once before, Chris Ryan's latest book, page two SAS rules of engagement in Iraq rule 1 Never Trust a ***head

 

Why Sky and the Premier League have destroyed football with Greed.

 

Lesson to be learnt here, when seeing a new owner sitting in the stands wearing a club shirt - be afraid, be VERY afraid.

 

GayBoy asset striped us almost out of existence But! to let this knut lose on PFC.,,,,,Not evan Walt Disney had this many (Once Apon a Times)

[Thedelldays]

Dindane is becoming my favourite non saints player..

 

lol