Portsmouth Supporters trust

Tonight the prospective owner of Portsmouth will set out why he will not buy into a club that has supporters as shareholders.

"American billionaire Michael Eisner will address fans on Thursday with details of his £5.67m offer for 100% of the promoted League Two club.

Shareholders and PST members will vote on the former Walt Disney chief executive's proposals later this month.

"I don't think that we should think this is our only chance," Brown said.

Eisner, 75, has presented the terms of his offer before a town hall-style meeting at Portsmouth's Guildhall on Thursday.

Among his proposals are a further £10m equity investment, as well as the removal of three PST members from the club's nine-strong board.

The PST own 48% of the club after helping bring it out of administration in 2013.

Rather than instructing shareholders to vote in favour of Eisner's deal, the PST and club presidents have told fans to make up their own minds.

"What people need to do is see if it's the right option and the right person," Brown told BBC Radio Solent.

"That's the difficulty for people as you're dealing with somebody you don't know.

"Thursday is a chance for some people to look him in the eye in a public forum and ask him some questions and we'll see what he has got to say then.

"It's a huge decision about the future of the club, one that will define the path in goes on in the next few years. The beauty is that it's the fans that are making it."

He has been on the news tonight and said that supporters having a shareholding would limit his desire to fund it going forward.

In my opinion, this is a kick in the teeth for supporter involvement and community ownership in football.

 

Well its his money and his offer. The choice is simple, take it or leave it.

Depends what they want for the long term future and success of their club, because I doubt any of them have the funds to pump it to make it grow as much as someone like him.

If they're happy where they are, with the set up as it is, they can simply carry on.

If they're happy for him to pump in a fortune, and he insists on being able to call the shots, they'll take that option.

Good to see PST are throwing out for the actual fans to decide on too. So either way, its a fans decision, which is what it's all meant to be about.

Stick or twist.

 

What kind of Mickey Mouse affair is that?

 

I reckon a Mickey Mouse affair would be a Minnie one, but not on my watch.

 

Don't the fans own 48.something of the shares? If so, who is selling out?

 

The other presidents who own the rest. Local business men I think.

 

That next step can lead to a step too far & back to where they've just come from.

If he has the best interest of the club at heart he'll not mind a supporter or two on the board.

 

The trust members seem to like what he has said tonight, but my view is the same as yours. To be honest, Swansea and now Portsmouth, both held up as shining examples of supporter involvement and both have major issues.

 

That last sentence really is the key. If he specifically wants the fans to not have a say, that rings alarm bells straight away.

New owners always come across well at first. Both the Allams and Duffens mob were almost universally popular at first.

 

I was talking to a Pompy trust member and he was telling what a great job the trust had done building the club back up again. I fear this is not a good sign when owners start saying things like this.

 

The Supporters Trust model works well in Portsmouth's case because they have excellent match day revenue with a relatively low wage bill.

They may well achieve promotion to the Championship in the next year or so with the same model but they'll then hit the buffers.

If they're happy to be a lower league yo-yo club then that's up to them.

I would have thought their bad experiences involving foreign owners are still fresh in the mind and they have a right to be sceptical about another foreign owner that will only buy the club if he has complete control.

 

They seem to want the takeover. The reality is that another administration is on the cards if they do not get investment.

 

To be honest I've no idea of the club's finances.

 

The big problem that the trust has is the Ground. It is a shambles really and it is going to cost in the region of 5m just for it to keep the current safety certificate allowing around 1900 to attend. Failure to do it and the ground capacity will be reduced to under 14000. The trust has around £800000 left in an account where the car park was sold to Tescos. That is the only money they can stump up for any improvements made to the ground. This yank is offering the 5m to do it but then wants all the trust off the board in return for buying the club from the trust. Its all a bit iffy but really what option does the trust have.

 

Do the Trust own the ground outright ? Eg no borrowings against it ?

 

Oh dear.

 

I believe that PST own Fratton Park.