pedg

Latest 'get round the rules' wheeze: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/mar/12/renault-mclaren-f1-wing Something clever using ducting and the drivers knee!

Maybe they are going to be extra helpful, like inviting HMRC in to inspect the accounts?

Very interesting. First real confirmation that dodgy transactions were taking place while Azougy was in charge. You wonder if HMRC came to an agreement with the administrators at their recent meeting that HMRC would drop their case about the admin if the administrators helped them with on going inquiries.

Chainrai claims he will get his money back http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/mar/11/balram-chainrai-money-portsmouth Storrie to go thanks to failure of HMRC challenge http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/mar/11/peter-storrie-portsmouth-andrew-andronikou Digger, however, hears tell that Storrie may yet have to justify his position to the administrator, Andrew Andronikou, anew, possibly as soon as today. That is because with Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs threatening to challenge Andronikou's appointment, an existing director had to be retained in case the challenge was upheld. By law every company must have a nominated officer. Following the departures of the directors Mark Jacob and Tanya Robbins, Storrie was the only person left on the club's board. HMRC has now withdrawn its challenge – seemingly the thought of throwing taxpayers' money at an arcane legal argument that would not lead to any financial return has caused it to do so – but the taxman will no doubt have other questions when everyone heads back to court on Monday. May be some life in the court case yet???

Admittedly the Storrie situation does not have a nice aroma but I think there is some excuse to flying the team to Burley as they are an 'advert' for the club and if they lose badly because they have been on a coach for 8 hours it may affect their chance of a sale. Whilst, even with the points reduction, there is an outside chance of them staying in the prem it would be silly for the administrators not to try to maintain that possible result for as long as possible.

I wonder what the cut off date is for setting up AFC pompey? Given this stay of execution there must be a risk that if they are not sold then by the time they admit defeat and are wound up it may be too late for AFC pompey for next season?

The DecTech statistical football site thing has them finishing last, 2 points from safety, before the 9 point deduction. http://www.dectech.org/football_sites/football_dectech/seasonend_overall.php

Peeved as saw the googlewaggon whilst in great yarmouth on hols and they used their pictures from when it obviously went the other way up that street.

I was under the impression that Gaydamak's debt was not secured per say but that he held the aces in terms of owning surrounding land should any development take place. So if anyone wants to do any development then he could insist on the money he was owed.

See the world has taken androids word for it that HMRC will accept the administration. Would be SO funny if HMRC came out and said 'No, see you in court Monday'.

Looks like their talks with HMRC were over more than just the legitimacy of the administration. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/16380000aweek-footballers-fail-to-take-pay-cuts-to-save-club-cleaners-1919453.html The biggest spectre hanging over Portsmouth remains the High Court proceedings brought by HMRC. Mr Andronikou met HMRC on Tuesday afternoon and expects to receive a letter this morning telling him whether Customs are willing to allow the club to reschedule its outstanding debt or reach a settlement figure, ahead of a High Court hearing next Monday. Would hope the answers are No and No. Anyway given that they obviously have NO money how can they negotiate a settlement figure?

Given andy the android himself says he does not expect confirmation that HMRC are satisfied till sometime Thursday I would say they are being presumptive.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/mar/10/portsmouth-peter-storrie-andrew-andronikou Having met Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs yesterday , Andronikou said he was "not unduly concerned" and is confident that HMRC would today ratify the process by which the club was placed in administration. HMRC is owed around £15m by the club. Strange how almost everything they tend to be confident of at pompey never actually happens?

A vast majority of the 600 will be match day only staff such as stewards etc which it will be hard for them to cut and still meet their statutory requirements.

Indeed. A few weeks ago there we about 4 or 5 teams within a couple of points but slowly some of them are getting points and dragging themselves relatively out of danger. It only takes one of Wolves, Hull or Burnley to put in a spurt and the bottom three will find a widening gap to safety.

Maybe related to this story on the guardian from last month? http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/mar/02/links-portsmouth-twisted-chain-ownership

I think we can safely say that link will not be appearing on Story's CV when he goes for his next job interview!

The other administrators who are hoping to stay as low profile as possible in case it all goes common garden birds up.

Actually what they say is: "If necessary a directors application for an administration order would be made. Which means the directors have to apply to the court to put them into administration. The administrators make it sound like this would be a forgone conclusion but that it not necessarily the case. But then boundless positivity and possibly misplaced optimism appear to be a job requirement for running pompey.

Comedy value: Priceless

Slight exaggeration. Make that most of them.

These minimum requirements include youth football development, coaching standards, stadium and training facilities, audited accounts, settlement of debts and additional financial disclosures. Do they get a prize for failing on all of them??

PL decided no point doing it now if they end up getting wound up on Monday. Assuming they survive Monday (or whenever next week, I notice the minutes mentioned Monday) then the -9 will follow soon after.

Hopefully at the news conference tomorrow some hack will actually ask a sensible question like. "Its now two days before you need to deposit the documents proving that Mr Chainrai legally put the club into administration. Can you categorically confirm that the documents that prove that he was legal entitled to do this have been located and are ready to be deposited with the court?"

They are confident that they will have all paperwork in place that the High Court have requested to prove that BC lent the money to Portsmouth FC rather than Falcondrone and therefore has the right to put Portsmouth FC into administration. Just as soon as the ink drys