rallyboy

to address Ho's little jibe that he thinks upsets us - I 4-1 regard the cup game as illegal because 1. The authorities were misled with a false statement of accounts to allow players like O'Hara to be resigned in the build up. 2. One of the players wasn't correctly registered. 3. Several players were signed prior to that game in odd circumstances - mysteriously buying themselves out of contracts so they became free agents allowing pompey to sign them. 4. The business was clearly trading insolvently at that time. 5. The man who changed the game left soon afterwards in unusual circumstances, as if his signing had in some way been 'a mistake'.... That aside I did enjoy having a couple of hours to shout abuse at the few who had nowhere to hide, it was great to make them come to come to our ground and face the music. They did indeed go down with no money in the bank. And funnily enough, I believe Swindon made more noise at St Marys, the few were very poor that day, maybe it was the shame of it all, whereas we were able to heap a whole pile of abuse down on the caravanning heather-sellers and they looked shell-shocked at their welcome. Disappointing to see our honest 3rd tier side beaten by an illegally-gathered Prem team, but still a good laugh seeing their little cross-eyed tatted faces! And the gulf between the two sides then, now looks very narrow, and Ho has realised that the next time the silent blue few come to St Marys it's going to be a very long trip home - maybe Brighton will be a nice rehearsal for that feeling. Not sure whether I would be happier to take their championship place or to be playing them next season if they stay up, either will do for me because the future is red and white. 4 fake owners 1 billionaire.

I thought they were still under contract regardless of appearance clauses, meaning if they can't sell them, pompey will be paying them and choosing not to select them? I've given up expecting the club to be damaged by high wages as they just plough on regardless and trading insolvently, so some damage to their squad quality would be nice and might even lead to a relegation battle. A good January firesale with a few journeyman Lg One loanees coming in would be nice and would be the actions imposed upon the other clubs who have suffered financial problems. Might we see the first attempt by the club to address debt? I doubt it.

Billy's a top bloke, and a great songwriter, I don't blindly follow all of his ideas, disagree occasionally with his odd campaign but generally he's cool, and with him you get honest opinion. And thankfully the residents of Barking did serious damage to the BNP. Cue right wing extremist dinosaurs with no knowledge of his back catalogue or his history to start ranting.....call yourself a socialist yet you wear shoes etc

in true Newcastle style, I would just love it if Pardew just stuck the last nail in Grant's managerial coffin. It must have been sweet to stick five past them after watching the gurning gravedigger big himself up on the St Marys pitch following the illegal cup victory last year. And Best owed us big time, so for those with long memories he partially delivered last night. West Ham look terrible, surely Grant can't survive another week, and if Pardew was the man to push him over the edge, I for one would chuckle!

Blackburn and Spurs are going to be well miffed when pompey outbid them for Ronaldinho and Beckham - and the funny thing is they could probably get them for the money they have paid Utaka, Nugent, Lawrence and Kitson. If only they still owned the club shop it would be worth it for shirt sales, and if they owned a ticket office as well they could try and fill the ground too, and some fans might even get in before kick off. Say what you want about Storrie but he would have sealed those two signings by now.

there's Lawrence on a bank-busting £20K a week demanding his mates should also smash the wagecap?? He must have no grasp of the state of the company he has just joined and the fact that his wages alone will be enough to keep the squad numbers down. Even with the transfer money that hasn't come in I believe their cva requires the wages to come down to £3-8K a week - so Kitson and Lawrence are earning the wages of eight players. Lawrence sounds like an idiot - and as he's just been given a lengthy contract/gravy train he could be more loyal. Unless he's off next week.... player + thinking out loud + maths = funny

Storrie's only crime was being a hero. *****il investigations are completed) If the city of Portsmouth doesn't recognise him I think Southampton fans salute his fine efforts, and should the Hayling Island extradition treaty ever get signed he would be welcomed at St Marys. As a paying guest. No cheques, cash in advance. I'm surprised Ridsdale hasn't taken him down to Plymouth, imagine what those two could achieve together.....

I do hope the few shouted 'scummer' at Mr Pearson as he pocketed the three points and waved goodbye to the rows of empty blue seats. It's fair to say that the 250,000 on Southsea common have gone awol. How's that future England boss Cotterill doing in the manager of the month award for January? With the cva likely to be £7-8M short by the end of the month plus the reduced matchday income and the likes of Lawrence's wages pushing the overheads through the roof, I see a new creditors meeting on the horizon, maybe to propose a new deal of approx 1p in the pound per year? - less expenses. Sorry we can't pay you anything we've given your money to another player, again. 2011 doesn't look great down that way at the moment - but it may just be a wobble so let's see if they can keep this run of form up for a month or two. For the only time this season, ahead of the weekend I would just like to say - 'Seagulls, seagulls, seagulls!' Though playing at the Withdean could be a big day out for their fans, a chance to see a modern stadium, proper facilities and a 1980s look rather than 1930s. Brighton could soon be in the same division in a new stadium, we had better be up there too - five mins ago pompey were in the Prem and the rest of us were desperately struggling to survive and in the third tier.....and though we haven't seen justice yet, the ship is currently sinking VERY fast. Chanrai must be worried. His gamble needs promotion - that would require more than two points from every fixture - so they can't really afford to lose another game!!

loan shark claims ownership of a business when repayments don't appear, the business then buys an asset with borrowed money, it sells it immediately, 'owner' claims his 80%. In other businesses that could look like money laundering.... I'm sure that isn't the case here as the shrewd and powerful football authorities would be all over it like Avram at a booty buffet - and as the current West Ham manager and all time pompey hero once announced on the pitch at Fratton, you can't take their spirit! But you can exploit their problems and take their players. They got in bed with sharks to buy the cup, now they keep getting bitten - funny that.

why should they bother to register players correctly? They didn't bother last year and even played one illegally against us, there was no punishment so it's 'do what you likey' time again. January is always the month to strengthen your team with all of that quality that becomes available mid-season so they'll be fine - and if they start offering more contracts as expensive and lengthy as Lawrence's they can plan two or three administrations ahead. Any new players know they'll get paid eventually by parachute money, Lampitt's signature on a contract guarantees them the millions, and pompey know they won't have to pay any football debts so they can continue trading insolvently as long as the football authorities and fraud squad allow them to. But you have to feel sorry for Cotterill, how was he to know that he was joining a club in financial turmoil? Though with the benefit of hindsight, perhaps the attempted transfer embargo, administration, player exodus, creditors meetings, plummeting attendances, pending tax evasion charges, ripped off charities, enraged tax officials, horrific balance sheet and international press coverage might have given him a clue..... And maybe the newspaper headline at the time, 'Dim Cotterill ponders leaving a dead end job and joining a club in financial turmoil for his own personal gain but promises not to moan like a Horton Heath prossie when reality bites a bit later'

from the TV I would say the big difference seems to be that now when he shoots he's aiming between the big sticks with the bar on the top so even poor shots like his third yesterday have half a chance of going in. On the strength of his new found form hopefully Millwall have put a huge value on him, we just need Nicola to keep the poker face he used when dealing with Preston and take their money before he goes back to his usual shooting style. Yes we could use him, but let's not pretend the player Millwall are seeing is the same one who was here - I would welcome a goalscoring influential midfielder but I fear we would get back the Puncheon of his last half a dozen appearances for us. An observer might suggest that he seems to have found a little extra when it comes to looking for a new contract, a common trait among journeymen. He has the choice of regular championship football or a squad role in Lg1 so I would imagine he has packed his bags, I wish him well....

midtable mediocrity isn't enough when you spend that much - they need to go up to survive as a business. More points dropped this month and the Chanrai gamble of instant promotion and cashback is on the rocks, they'll be looking over their shoulders instead. They have stuck two fingers up at everyone and gambled the lot so it's difficult to have sympathy, I 4-1 don't have any at all These sort of days have been rare in recent years, enjoy. 2011 - Judgement Year!

with the likes of serial expenses whore Peter 'duck island' Viggers already knighted and Peter Bottomley joining him for his thirty five years milking the parliamentary system with his wife I would suggest the honours system is still poorly distributed, so to offer the likes of Matt something that puts him in the same class as those characters would be a supreme insult. Equally, placing a minute's silence for Ballie or Markus, Ted, Stokes or Osgood, or our servicemen and women, at the same level as demanding silent respect for a convicted local sex offender who was too cowardly to face his victims and family before sentence was disgusting - I hope St Marys would have raised the roof if that silence had been imposed on more than just the Wessex League. Let's keep honours and marks of respect for people who have made a real contribution - enthusiastic teachers and coaches, sports people, charity workers, inspirational characters, ordinary people who have done extraordinary things - not lazy MPs and perverts. And a happy new year of ranting!

I'm astonished they managed to survive 2010 as they did, though I guess on paper they would say that relegation, administration, tax evasion charges pending, a feeble firesale and falling attendances doesn't rate 2010 as a great year. They have wriggled out of tight spots before, they have friends in high places or their luck will run out at the next court date. I fear we'll see midtable security and more borrowing when we should really see mass clearout, penalties, debt repayment and a slide down divisions. Pompey 35 places below us in 12 months? That would be nice, but just a dream at the moment.....

and as the year draws to a close, today we see the most deluded and ludicrous post of 2010 on The News site.... on the strength of Pompey's showing this season - It wouldn't surprise me to see Cotterill being talked about as future England Manager Yes, and no doubt Pulis will be his captain when we win the World Cup in Qatar as all the other teams die of heat exhaustion. Please tell me that was someone from here typing in the style of a toothless simpleton who has no grasp of reality?......

as long as he doesn't go bonkers or get sent off every other game (which looks possible on occasions), a very shrewd bit of long term planning business, and I can't believe that Nicola will have let his wages get out of hand. For that money you get Utaka for one week down the road, and he's not as good as Chappers. Good deal.

it was quoted the other week that they have the 4th biggest wagebill in the division which is insane. But when you do the figures against the squad size it's even madder - that must make pompey the highest paid team in the championship - and that demands results and automatic promotion - as it does at Saints. As an example, Brown is looking to extend his £25K a week contract. He's just a squad player and not a popular one I believe - if a lower end Prem team with the massive income wanted him for cover they would be looking to pay £8-10K a week. If a solvent championship team wanted him as cover they would be looking to pay £3-5K - not £25K! 'but we are stuck with them...'Yeah right, give them away, loan them out for nowt, or accept that you blatantly bought the cup by paying twice the going rate for players with money intended for hospitals and schools. 'but everyone buys trophies, Man Utd are in debt....' Yeah, but you are meant to pay some back, they do something a bit revolutionary called 'servicing the debt', not ignoring it. Sorry to sound like a broken record a year on - but they have still made no effort to address debt, yet now their hard luck sob story is wearing thin and most fans of other clubs have sussed them out. They have clearly chosen to have a thin squad by paying over the odds and they can't blame the previous regimes. The current owner has clearly been 'in control' for more than a year and he sanctioned the massive wages of Kitson, Lawrence, Halford, Kanu and one or two others - he is now looking to complete a permanent deal for Lawrence on crazy money that he can't get anywhere else. When you have the income it's unwise, when you don't it's as Wenger, Platini and a thousand people on here have said, cheating. Other than the odd mad contract agreed by Storrie and Redknapp to buy a trophy, most of their problems were in fact created by the current owners, either by ignoring debts and contract issues or by overspending in the traditions of the pompey way. Buy now, pay nothing wherever possible. Pay the charities, clear the debt, clean the name of the club if possible and worry about results after that.

Fuller's greatest moment at St Marys was hitting the roof of the stand from six yards in a Pompey shirt. His finishing for us and for Stoke was and has been woeful on occasions, his inability to hit the target has cost them many times especially prior to their promotion, yes he's scored some great goals - but overall I would personally rate him as poor value. Puncheon's finishing for us has been appalling - he may like Guly have other aspects to his game but if you are a goal down and a well-paid professional who practices all week keeps blasting chances all over the shop he is going to get stick - no matter what his nationality, religion, colour, sexuality etc. To suggest most fans are ignorant and it's racism should be late entries for most ridiculous posts of the year. BWP's career has really taken off since he was scooped up by wherever he went and Jermaine Wright who I thought was harshly treated on occasions will always be a Prem legend - yes these guys have all proved us wrong..... A minority booing Davis - is that racism or just people who forget that he has saved us on a few occasions but had a nightmare the other week? Rather than ignorant I would say all fans are fickle, always have been, always will be - they will be annoyed with anyone not pulling their weight in a Saints shirt - whatever their colour. Some are thick but they can't all be wrong. No, the racist accusation doesn't stack up at all.

that sounds like a business that doesn't have two pennies to rub together. Pity it's taken them more than a year to realise. Maybe one or two more will finally realise that what goes on during games is of little relevance and their real interest should be about the rather disturbing balance sheet. Perhaps 2011 will be the year when they make genuine efforts to address debt - they could make a good start by slashing their wagebill by 75%.

poor little plucky Pompey with their sell out support are doing very well - another two points and they might even be able to stay up when the potential ten point penalty for a 2nd admin is enforced (prior to the inevitable financial irregularities penalties.) It's only a problem if the first hit is a 15 or 17 pointer for a third admin.... And if they can just get some of the big earners back off loan to strengthen the squad it should see them out of money completely by the January wages day, and ploughing through the entire four years of parachute money by the summer. Any potential buyers on the scene looking to cash in on this little goldmine of an opportunity?

yeah, to Mero and Mack a happy Christmas, thanks for joining in the entertainment in a mostly sensible way, respeck - and to your football team, a happy Christmas and a very short and painfully insolvent new year that leads to liquidation, criminal charges, and a fresh new club that may one day become our rivals. And while we are on - seasonal greetings to all my fellow antagonists, analysts and the deeply outraged of red Hampshire, one year soon we will redress the balance my friends, oh yes..... though I fear it won't be in 2011. X

the creditors are idiots and have already legally agreed to accept 1p in the pound via the 'less expenses' wording - they queued up like dim lemmings and surrendered all rights by approving the insane unworkable cva that a backward three year old could see right through. We all know the creditors will get properly shafted like a Latvian model on the top table at the West Ham Xmas do, but how stupid are they?? I'll let gullible Terry off as he's a fan and doesn't care about the money but most of the others have voted like simpletons. Is this the most distasteful and criminal saga in UK corporate history yet or does Chanrai have to delay and haggle a bit more with the terminally ill children to claim that crown? Despite raping the charities and local businesses they are still paying a fortune on overpriced PR services so perhaps we will be treated to some nice Xmas shots of Kitson etc waving their wage packets at ill children in hospital. Or has that local ward been shutdown in light of tax shortages as well? Tis still a disgrace, they are forever tainted.

holepuncture has made a good point there - AA only pushed the unworkable cva through by grooming the creditors. It must have been quite a shock to them when they arrived at the meeting to discover that he isn't a 13 year old girl who likes ponies and X Factor. Terry the gullible builder should write to a Portsmouth MP complaining about sexual harrasment, the MP should be able to assist with that.

I have this image of half their squad desperately clinging to the last big payday of their career. Ludicrous contracts agreed by Storrie, Redknapp etc that no other club can match. The likes of Nugent, Kanu, Haim will never earn that sort of money elsewhere. They have given up on career prospects at a higher level and are hanging on for the cash. Storrie's little signature on the contract is worth millions to them and the football creditor rules assure them of every penny. It would be funny if it wasn't for the fact that they are still doing it. Kitson and Lawrence anyone? No, only Pompey are willing to outbid Prem clubs to pay them that much.

Just like Grant before him, everytime Cotterill opens his mouth something ridiculous spills out. He's an idiot who has no grasp of football finance and the vital relationship between the team and the business. Where do they find these people? They need a manager who can manage every facet of the club, not a 'yes man' who thinks an unfit squad player on £36K a week plus his image rights is an asset to an insolvent business. I feel sorry for one or two like Mack, their club is still being run by buffoons. Give Haim away, you can't afford him, leave him by the skip - with the other eight you can't afford.