trousers

Can I take the absence of a denial to my second guess as significant....?

According to the relevant Insolvency Act, the administrator (Birch) has to hold an 'Initial Creditors Meeting' within 10 weeks of being appointed. The deadline for the meeting is thus 27th April (the day before the end of the season as it happens). By comparison, AA held the Initial Creditors Meeting for CSI the day before their deadline. He only sent out the invites to the meeting 2 weeks beforehand. Agree that it's all getting a bit tight to arrange said meeting for the creditors of Portsmouth Football Club but given the logistics are likely to be far greater for PFC than they were for CSI (i.e. more creditors to deal with) I think we are probably fast approaching the point at which the meeting either needs to be announced or a "plan B" put into action....

It wouldn't surprise me if it's Cortese himself doing the speculation seed planting. He's a banker. Bankers talk up their assets to raise perception of value on an ongoing basis. Keeps people on their toes. Probably.

Hmmm..."a consortium of hedge funds".....*dislike*

I think Cortese said in yesterday's interview (or was it Lallana?) that seeing the work start has given the lads a mental boost as they can see the future starting to take shape. That said, psychologically, it could work either way I guess.

@solentsport: I'd love Pompey return - Storrie: Former Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie says he would relish a return ... http://t.co/jTLQ2Mu1

@bigadamsport: #pompey administrator Trevor Birch is a special guest on @BBCRadioSolent tomorrow morning from 9am - taking your questions. So, Birch on the radio and the Pompey Supporters Trust holding a live web chat. Both tomorrow. I'm no Inspector Clouseau but I would venture that something is afoot...

I assume the main Pompey forums already have a 12 page thread entitled: "Scummers £33m in debt!" ? :-)

No. These are 'shares' in a Ltd company, not a plc

@bigadamsport: >>> #saintsfc for 2010-11 had wages of 93% of turnover, but say that was expected, & 5 yr plan on course. NC empowered to take club forward

@TonyHusbandBBC: RT @mattslaterbbc: Could it be a case of Peter "Same Old" Storrie at Portsmouth? http://t.co/RUBsSLA2 #pompey #bbcfootball #soccerex

@bigadamsport: Headline from #saintsfc story is that the Liebherr estate has 'written off' £33M of loans to club, puts #saintsfc in strong position >>>

Already a thread on this

Nutshell. Probably more 'tax efficient' than giving the money as an outright gift....

Typing 'shiny helmet' into a google search worked for me

Smart move by Cameron & co. It takes a Tory leader to understand how gullible and sheep-like the British public are and then use that to your advantage during strike discussions with Labour's largest donor. And, just to clarify the petrol storage laws...I'm allowed to store as many 60 litre containers of fuel in my garage as I like (in something we call 'a car') but I'm not allowed to store 20 litres of the same fuel in a fire retardant container? Is that right?

That percentage will drop like a stone in 7 games time... :-)

We're minted

Saints: "we carefully match our rise in player wages with increases in revenue"

Solent: "The owner has taken £33m of their loans to the club off the balance sheet by swapping for shares" In other words, the Liebherrs loaned money to their own club and then got 'paid back' in shares, ergo no debt

Solent headline: "It has emerged that Saints borrowed £33m in the last two years but that has been paid back in shares"

Dan Williams...? (clutching at straws here I know)

Would explain why Birch has gone very quiet the last couple of weeks....as has Brian Howe...

Indeed. In fact, any truth in the rumour that people might want to buy us is good news, not bad. It shows how healthy the club is at this moment in time. Allow me to point you in the direction of a certain club 20 miles to the east for a stark comparison of "desirable club" versus "undesirable club".

Have just fired off the following email: