Fowllyd

Personally, I'd far rather see the club aiming high and not getting there than effectively writing off the season. Having ambition and voicing it is way better than settling for mediocrity before the season even starts. If you don't achieve what you set out to do it isn't necessarily a cause for weeping, wailing, moaning and gnashing of teeth. You have to look at why you didn't get there, then make damn sure you do so next time around. If we don't make the play-offs I'll be disappointed but not downhearted. But if we hadn't even tried to get there, or expressed a desire to get there, I'd be royally píssed off.

Is that a euphemism?

I was thinking of posting something similar. As with so much happening at the wrong end of the M27, I'm sure this isn't the happy little story it's being put about as being. I'd say there are three possible explanations: First, as CB says above, Fuglers have simply asked Jacob to leave the partnership. This is certainly possible; after all, it's hard to imagine he's been bringing in too many fees of late, and the publicity surrounding Pompey is hardly a selling point for any law firm. On the other hand, it's not common for partners in law firms to simply up and leave (or be asked to do so) - it would be more likely that he'd have been given a choice (pull your weight here or sod off). Harder to believe that he'd have opted for the latter option if this is the case. Second, he's actually taking a sabbatical from Fuglers, and will be back with them full time once all the shenanigans down the road have been sorted. Quite possible, and the firm's web site will no doubt give some info on that in due course. Third - and this is one for the conspiracy theorists - a cunning plan is being hatched which will make Jacob rich beyond the wildest dreams of a City lawyer. I can't for the life of me see what that might be, but then I'm hopeless at dreaming up conspiracy theories. And now I think of it, there is of course a fourth possibility. Don't know how I missed it before, as it's so obvious. In addition to a money lender who's 'fallen in love with the club' there's a lawyer who's done exactly the same! On second thoughts, that one's strictly for the birds.

Hadn't seen it before - wonderful. The writing at the end (roughly translated!) means 'You are always beside me'.

:smt046

How can you say such a thing? Surely you must know that he's not just any old money lender, he's a money lender 'who's fallen in love with this club'. Honestly, some people!

I think you're jumping the gun here, Nick. Right now we don't know anything, save that they've announced that they'll go into admin on Friday. There's been very little (if any) further news today, and I'd expect the same tomorrow. We'll find out on Friday if HMRC have a statement to make, and indeed if they can do anything to force the winding-up issue. As to pre-pack arrangements, surely that's all guesswork at the moment. And, even if that does happen, it won't surprise me at all if the Football League then draft some new rules so that they'll be able to punish PFC next season anyway - after all, that's what happened to Leeds. The FL will hold the whip hand as Pompey will need their go-ahead to play.

David Jones was indeed kept on, and is still FD now. Quite a survivor.

I think it depends on the administrator and what he or she wants to happen. But I wouldn't be at all surprised if Storrie gets removed and the meeting at which he claims that the administrator asked him to stay on proves to be yet another mirage. Tricky things, mirages...

I loved this bit: Should I feel down for any reason today, I'll just think of that last line and it'll have me tittering away in no time. :smt046

Funnily enough, I was just thinking that what's outlined in the Mirror was a possible and even likely deal struck yesterday. If, as claimed, next year's parachute payments will be paid to the club once it enters administration, this should just about allow it to limp through to the end of the season. All fixtures will be fulfilled, Pompey will be relegated. After that, the PL doesn't give a flying one, as it'll all be the FL's problem.

A decent summary, though it would have been better if the writer hadn't referred more than once to "Friday's court hearing". Getting details of that sort wrong tends to reduce the credibility of the whole article, which is unfortunate. Interesting comment following the article as well.

Parallels indeed. I liked this bit: Now who does that remind me of? :smt044 On the other hand, at least Trembling put a considerable sum of his own money into Notts.

This is my favourite Storrie quote from there: And he's quite right of course. If only the pesky HMRC bunch hadn't demanded all that money, on the pathetically flimsy basis that (a) they were owed it; and (b) they'd asked for it nicely lots of times already, then things could have been so different. Tsk.

Ah yes - I was forgetting that distinctly significant detail! And of course shares won't mean owt in administration - I should be aware of that by now. Sounds more and more as if the PL are quite happy to keep them propped up till May then wave them a fond (and most likely final) farewell. Big old shame.

So, if that happens, Chainrai will be able to pay himself back out of Sky TV money and proceeds from player sales. After that, he could in theory return control of the 90% shareholding to Al Faraj, keeping the ground as a money maker (assuming PFC continue to exist and play there). So he'll be OK then! Incidentally, Chainrai's charge on all the assets etc was mentioned in a Guardian article (I think) some time back - that's how he got control of the shares. As others have commented, today's moves don't make the outlook any brighter for Pompey.

Which suggests that they don't want to take it on. Not too surprising, given that they produced the statement of affairs so they'll know exactly how heavily the chalice is poisoned.

They'll be there with their metal detectors. After all, you never know what you might find... :smt044

Why would he do that? I'm sure he cares not a jot whether Storrie and others do a little bit of bird - or even a lot of it. Chainrai lent the money in the first place on a false premise/promise - namely that Sky payments would enable it to be paid back pretty quickly; on realising this was not the case, he decided to take control of things himself by grabbing Al Mirage's 90% of the shares. In so doing he's then found out just how dire the situation really is and is doing all he can to extricate himself while either minimising his losses or (with a bit of luck) coming out of it all with a profit. Hence the decision to sign Nottarf over to his company. Whatever happens now that land belongs to him and a liquidator won't have any claim on it. When his mouthpiece says Chainrai has put in whatever amount of money, don't forget that none of this is a gift. It's a loan and he expects a return on it.

Noticeable how Corpy's tone has changed recently too. So many of his posts have had an arrogant, gloating quality as he looked forward to the untold riches coming Pompey's way. Now he's just whining like a two-year-old about how nasty we are. Well, if you can't take it you shouldn't dish it out.

Nice little snippet from that article: I'd imagine that, if the fabled takeover doesn't go through, staff can expect nothing on Friday, then a good deal more nothing on Monday, with the promise of a whole heap more nothing to come. Late doesn't come into it.

They won't be in administration next week - unless either Chainrai or Gaydamak (assuming either of them is willing and able to do it) puts them there. If it goes to the court next Monday then they'll be liquidated, which is a very different proposition. In the case of liquidation, there simply won't be a Portsmouth FC to buy, so any thought of a better deal goes out of the window and AFC Pompey or whatever becomes the only game in town. Like you, though, I can see no reason why anybody would buy them - even for a pound - and in so doing take on the massive debt they have, along with their running costs (which guarantee more major losses over the next few months).

Carbon fibre is probably the favourite these days; the one you've got is aluminium. As to potential bike prices, check this one: http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cannondale/super-six-hi-mod-ultimate-2010-road-bike-ec020251 Somebody who's serious enough and has the money (or even just has the money!) would part with that amount for a bike that good. As I said earlier, you'll be best off selling the Bullit and using the money for something else. If still in doubt, look at this - there are two versions of a built-up Bullit there: http://www.santacruzbikes.co.uk/pricing/scuk_2010_pricing.pdf

I didn't even realise we'd sold it to them! :smt043

Seconded. You can't buy a bike lock which would keep that safe! Best thing to do would be: 1. Get a reasonable idea of what that bike would cost new (my guess would be at least £2,000). 2. Sell it for half of that. 3. Use about half that money to get a decent commuting bike, with either a hub gear or single-speed (single-speed fixed wheel is my preference, but that's not everyone's cup of tea!) 4. Pocket the rest of the money.