Portsmouth Supporters Trust

[Not Andy Naylor]

To refer back to the original post, it only proves that a small number of Portsmouth fans have finally woken up to reality. The fact that most have not is demonstrated by the large section of their fanbase that would rather keep Chainrai in place. They believe that a wealthy benefactor can get them back to where they delude themselves that they "belong" - ie in the Championship, Premier League or even in Europe - ignoring the fact that Chainrai will grab the remaining parachute payments and scarper, and that the benefactor model is what landed them in the shite in the first place. The Trust will scale back the wages and live within the club's means, which doesn't appeal to some of the knuckle-draggers down there.

 

[krakatoa]

To refer back to the original post, it only proves that a small number of Portsmouth fans have finally woken up to reality. The fact that most have not is demonstrated by the large section of their fanbase that would rather keep Chainrai in place. They believe that a wealthy benefactor can get them back to where they delude themselves that they "belong" - ie in the Championship, Premier League or even in Europe - ignoring the fact that Chainrai will grab the remaining parachute payments and scarper, and that the benefactor model is what landed them in the shite in the first place. The Trust will scale back the wages and live within the club's means, which doesn't appeal to some of the knuckle-draggers down there.

What makes you think a large section of their fanbase support Chanrai? I often work down that way, and no Pompey fan i've come across supports him. Some may hope for a rich sugar daddy, but Chanrai certainly isn't that.

 

[maltaseagull]

My understanding of the rules was that any club failing to exit administration by the set date would incur a further points deduction. If that date has passed and the original points not deducted at the beginning of the season , surely the FL has to deduct a MINIMUM of 20 points.

I admit to not knowing the rules on this but shouldn't the clubs be punished with a points deduction for going into administration, with further punishments for staying there?

Not for coming out of administration surely?

 

[severnside gull]

I admit to not knowing the rules on this but shouldn't the clubs be punished with a points deduction for going into administration, with further punishments for staying there?

Not for coming out of administration surely?

when they exit administration Portsmouth wll be given their 10 points penalty so their current league position is a false one.

I am an avowed hater of the situation created and perpetuated by Portsmouth Football Club and the response of "the best fans in the world" in actively encouraging continually worsening their situation to the disadvantage of their opponents in all competitions for a number of years. They are cheats.

However IF the Trust do now take and maintain control, accepting their punishment and current true standing...... IF they work to a realistic and sustainable budget (they are presently still NOT doing so)................. IF they accept the reality that safety from relegation, let alone promotion, cannot be bought with money you don't have..................... then I will call off the dogs and say "carry on".

I don't believe it will happen. I am certain that they will continue to try to cheat their way back to where they think they belong by building up further unmanageable debt. They are unquestionably currently trading whilst insolvent. They continue to pay higher wages than they can afford. They continue to cheat. Will that change under the Trust if they do manage to assume control? I don't believe that it will. My view for what it's worth is that the current declaration by the administrator (who I wouldn't trust further than I could throw him and he's a big lad) is a smokescreen to buy time while he finds someone with the same sort of money to launder as their previous owners.

IF the Trust took over it would be a question of when the next administration happened as they have nether the financial resources or the skills/infrastructure to avoid it. Only once that happened could they genuinely earn a fresh start without the encumberence of ongoing debt. At that point I would happily get off their back albeit they would almost certainly and quite rightly be a non-league club at that point

 

[krakatoa]

I heard a Sheffield United fan on 5Live yesterday saying they had £90 million worth of debts - yet another club living way beyond their means. Should their fans be blamed as well?

 

[severnside gull]

I heard a Sheffield United fan on 5Live yesterday saying they had £90 million worth of debts - yet another club living way beyond their means. Should their fans be blamed as well?

very different circumstances though as I'm sure you realise.

Portsmouth deliberately spent money they knew they would never sustain in order to take short term benefits of staying in a higher league and winning the cup. They moved money around in order to hide what they were up to, mis-declared income and revenue and entered into reckless contract and transfer deals continually and - most damagingly - AFTER their demise was already confirmed. That approach persists even now. The sums of money that players took from the club pales into total insignificance when set against the money that went into the pockets of their various owners and the likes of Storrie and Redknapp. Even the administrators have used the club as a milch cow and continued to bleed it dry.

I'm pretty sure that all clubs spend and owe what we would sensibly consider to be "silly money" and many are struggling to manage the level of debt but I don't think anyone would suggest that there are many clubs sailing quite so close to the wind as PFC when it comes to trading unlawfully.

 

[krakatoa]

I'm still not sure how that's the fans fault?

 

[abc]

What makes you think a large section of their fanbase support Chanrai? I often work down that way, and no Pompey fan i've come across supports him. Some may hope for a rich sugar daddy, but Chanrai certainly isn't that.

This is correct. I also know many Pompey fans and went to their home game last Saturday. Every single fan I met was pro trust/anti Chanrai.
It really struck me the parallels between where their fans are now and where we were some years ago. Completely shafted and all of it out of their control. There was a lot of goodwill towards Brighton with people pleased that we have now come out of the other end of the journey they are only just starting.

Yes they would love a rich sugar daddy but the recurring theme was 'but only if it's one like yours who loves the club'.

 

[Vegas Seagull]

when they exit administration Portsmouth wll be given their 10 points penalty so their current league position is a false one.

This isn't set in stone though, they have already had a 10 point deduction last season & if the 'genuine supporters' step in to 'save' the club it MAY not be levied (after all it wasn't at the start of the campaign) after all....

 

[Brovion]

I heard a Sheffield United fan on 5Live yesterday saying they had £90 million worth of debts - yet another club living way beyond their means. Should their fans be blamed as well?

No their fans shouldn't be 'blamed', but IF it goes tits-up they've got to take it on the chin, go bust and start again (like Rangers did in Scotland). For the good of football and the future of the professional game we can't have any more clubs thinking that if they get into trouble they can just shuffle some papers, set up a new company and walk away dusting their hands having traded 90 million worth of debt for ten league points.

Having said that the damage has been done at Portsmouth and I wish the Supporters' Trust all the best.

 

[Brovion]

Actually I'm going to qualify my last post, I DO blame the fans to a certain extent as fans always want their clubs to spend more and more and more without ever asking (and often without even having the brains to even think of asking) the question of where is the money coming from? If there was/is an active Sheff Utd fans group that has been campaigning for no new signings and urging the club to sell the best players then I'll take that back.

 

[krakatoa]

Of course there isn't. And there never has been at any club that's got into financial trouble, and probably never will be.

 

[Brovion]

Of course there isn't. And there never has been at any club that's got into financial trouble, and probably never will be.

Indeed. But it's why I always grimace slightly when people say "I feel sorry for the fans, it's not their fault". Obviously when blame get apportioned they are way down the list as they didn't have their fingers on the levers of power, but fans (all fans, including ours) can be quite passive/aggressive in demanding success and expecting every season to be better than the last or it means the club aren't 'progressing'.

IMO for the long-term health of football quite a few attitudes have to change - and not just in the boardroom.

 

[abc]

Indeed. But it's why I always grimace slightly when people say "I feel sorry for the fans, it's not their fault". Obviously when blame get apportioned they are way down the list as they didn't have their fingers on the levers of power, but fans (all fans, including ours) can be quite passive/aggressive in demanding success and expecting every season to be better than the last or it means the club aren't 'progressing'.

IMO for the long-term health of football quite a few attitudes have to change - and not just in the boardroom.

I think that's far comment. Chairman usually sack managers because results aren't good enough to satisfy the fans. Chairman come under pressure from fans for not spending enough on new players.
Perhaps we as fans should take more responsibility and let chairman know we would rather be solvent and average than go for broke on and off the field

 

[Brovion]

I think that's far comment. Chairman usually sack managers because results aren't good enough to satisfy the fans. Chairman come under pressure from fans for not spending enough on new players.
Perhaps we as fans should take more responsibility and let chairman know we would rather be solvent and average than go for broke on and off the field

It's a relatively modern phenomena. When I first started going to football in the mid-1960s there wasn't this obsession with promotion. League tables weren't published until at least three games had been played and no one seriously looked at them until October. After Christmas you knew if you were going to be involved in a promotion or relegation season, but it didn't make any real difference, we just went to 'the match' on Saturday afternoon as there was nothing else to do! Managers stayed in their jobs for years. Nowadays you get talk of 'must win' games in August!

 

[krakatoa]

Fair points indeed. Maybe when/if the Supporters Trust do take over down there a bit of realism may set in, we'll see.