Weston Saint

SSn sources say talks stalled. Spokesman from the club say ongoing. In denial again??? or have Sky jumped the gun yet again?

22180 /2009 Portsmouth City Football Club Limited 313 /2010 Portsmouth City Football Club Limited 22181 /2009 Southend United Football Club Limited (The) 22182 /2009 Cardiff City Football Club Limited Could be an interesting day. Before REGISTRAR DERRETT

Well we should know by tomorrow and I bow to your experience in such matters. I am aware that they have already had three owners since this bill became payable and none of them have taken any action to pay the outstanding amount so why should this be any different. I am also told that the HMRC are very pee'd off with the club but I cannot go into detail at this stage. I still think a deal will be struck today. My negotiation background gives me that confidence. Hope I am wrong though

Possibily, it depends how the order was drawn up. HMRC will want some protection. That may be what todays negotiations are all about, drawing up an agreed order for the court to approve.

I posted this last night before any figures were mentioned. Since then £1.8m has been mentioned and if recent reports are correct HMRC have asked for any discussions today to remain confidential. that suggests to me that a deal will be done in the short term. I suspect the final deal will be Pompey paying £2.5m within 7 days and the remainder in stage payments over the next year. That, with interest payments will likely be about £500,000 a month. If they default (which they will if a new owner is not found because there income streams are very limited) they will put themselves into Administration before the HMRC can act. No details of any settlement will be in the public domain as HMRC will not want to be seen as a soft touch (but short term public interest ie getting hold of some of the money now, will be served). However they hold all the cards and tomorrow's hearing is still a real possibility or the deal would have been done last night

Assuming they owe HMRC £7.5m I would, as a negotiator, be offering a payment of £1.5m now and stage payments thereafter pointing out to HMRC advisors that if the club was wound up or placed into Administration, as an unsecured creditor, they would be lucky to recoup 10%. Bearing in mind the tax owed is public money it would not be in the best public interest to take that action. I suspect such a deal would cause the winding up order to be withdrawn, particularly if other parties to the order have been paid up or similar deals struck. Problem for Portsmouth is the the financial issues will not go away unless significant cash is injected long term.

Just a thought. Could HMRC call Pompey's bluff on there being a couple of interested parties and put them into Administration rather than a winding up order. Is that what Storrie wants? "Not my fault....HMRC did it?

I said a few weeks ago the money was likened to a rope. Either for Pardew to pull us into the playoffs or to hang himself. Cortese statement only serves to convince me that was the case. Cortese is a very complicated individual.

Cannot believe they would risk everything on Wednesday when Administration will give them breathing space. They have been an absolute joke so far but unless they do a deal with HMRC before Wednesday I am sure they will seek the protection of Administration.

I have a feeling from snippets I have picked up from various sources that the 5 year plan was for public consumption. The real plan linked to substantial bonuses at a very high level was 3 years.

The story going around earlier in the season was that Coppell was Nicola's first choice but on his way to complete terms Coppell called to cancel saying he had promised himself a period away from Management after leaving Reading and was going to stick to that for the present. That would explain him not taking any other job.

Basically he has now come out in public what I was told he was previously saying privately. It is also what a lot of supporters have been saying for a little while now. We are not good enough and part of that has to be down to Manager tactics. Make no mistake, Cortese will fire Pardew if he does not demonstrate an ability to improve our lot by results on the field. Sad that we are talking about the possibility of losing a Manager again when it has been the most enjoyable and fruitful season for years but these guys, or particularly Cortese, mean business.

It is a difficult one but the wide players must be disciplined and not go looking infield for the ball. Stay wide and eventually the midfield will get it.

We are in year 1 and likely to fail, we need to be promoted in year 2 and be in the top 6 of the Championship for year 3. If we do that Pardew will have achieved a lot and I am sure he will then be given a further year as publically those at the top have said 5 years and will not lose face but.............. I am not knocking Pardew (although I have my doubts he is capable enough) as I think he did a great job up to Christmas. He has to move forward now. He was given the money to take us to the next level. He has to produce results. Yesterday he did not get the right result.

That is what I am led to believe from a contact away from the club with good contacts at a high level and from reading between the lines of comments made by Pardew.

This has not come from any contact I have at the club. Those contacts would not be privy to such information

Qick answer, no I would not be suprised. Meat on the bone: Anyone who really thinks this is a 5 year plan are not reading between the lines on what Pardew and some posters are saying. The real plan is 3 years. Anyone who thinks Pardew will be given until next season to prove himself are wrong imo for reasons I will not go into. He is and will be judged on this seasons progress. If he does not demonstrate in the remaining games of the season that we will be odds on for automatic promotion next year he will be gone and I think he knows it.

The real plan is 3 years to reach the Premiership is what I have heard away from SMS but from someone who might have contact with what Cortese is saying privately. Pardew is under immense pressure as he says in the article. His job is very much on the line. Failure to get in the playoffs (now unlikely) or only a couple of points from it will likely bring an end to his involvement. He now has the players he desired (Elliott Ward excepted although, it seems from the article, he tried to screw us on wages) and must have a better second half to the season than the first half. Exeter was not a good start.

No room for a wind turbine. Too many bloody birds

OK let's see what happens. As I said it was only an informed opinion from the person I spoke to

No he can play across the midfield. The suggestion last Saturday when I was at the ground was that Lallana would likely play on the left but it was an informed opinion at that time

Expected Lallana to play on the left. Puncheon will play centre of midfield as the playmaker I am assuming

Good team. Give my best to Henri and David

We have Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Chaffinches, Robins, Blackbirds, Fieldfares, Starlings, Long Tailed Tits, Great Tits, Blue Tits, Carrion Crows (enjoying the snails), Magpies, Green Woodpecker, Greater Spotted Woodpecker and a Tawny Owl in the tree at night to name but a few.

Have you actually watched them regularly? Perry has not has a bad game when he plays, he is intelligent, aware and, in the absence of our main two is the obvious choice. Jaidi I have already commented on.