January - Players in and out

The Man with the plan

Apologies but I think I probably need to explain my reference to Man Utd fans. The point I wanted to make was that the plight of Portsmouth was understood beyond the South coast and that fans of other clubs are well aware of your current circumstances. Maybe I should have made that a bit clearer.

I don't agree that the interest in PFC is limited to Portsmouth supporters. Most Saints fans have been avidly following the story for a variety of reasons but it is something that resonates well beyond the South coast. There has been a lot of coverage on Radio 5 and magazines like "When Saturday comes" have had regular features. Most "informed" football fans in the UK will be savvy with the affair at Portsmouth although maybe not to the degree of pompsey supporters who, in the cases of some individuals, have managed to go into forensic detail probably only rivalled by the Man Utd fans opposed to the Glasers in this respect.

As a Saints fan, I obviously enjoy it when Pompey get beaten and naturally I prefer the situation when Southampton are the highest placed team on the South Coast. However, I think that the financial plight of your team is nationally significant and is something that all football fans need to be aware of. I have said before on this board that I respect Portsmouth's heritage and acknowledge their contribution to the game in this country. They are a "big club" and , perhaps more importantly, a club that truly reflects the local community.

For me, there are several issues in the saga that every football fan will feel passionately about and which, for the most part, will resonate to some degree with the majority of other teams. These issues are:-

1. Creation of a team at wage levels that the club can never hope to sustain due to lack of revenue. i.e. The likelihood of player wage demands bringing a club to it's knees.

2. Unscrupulous foreign owners and lack of control by the regulatory bodies within the game to ensure that these owners are fit and proper to run a club. (Also note lack of understanding of owners to the importance of football to a local community such as with Blackburn.)

3. The possibility of a team that fielded a number of England internationals that won a major torphy and played at the highest level in England sliding down the leagues and possibaly outside the professional game if the problems are not arrested this season. i.e. Relegation from the Premier league having repercussions that could resonate for several seasons after the initial relegation despite the use of "parachute payments" to mitigate against this.

4. Desire to take ownership of football clubs away from unscrupulous businessmen and place it within the hands of the fans for the future benefit of the club.

5. The discrepancy in wages between high and low level clubs and the ability to maintain a credible quality of playing staff when the chips are down.

6. The effectiveness of points deductions as a deterent to financial mismanagement and whether this penalty accually accerbates the problems and penalises the fans and not the owners who are usually long-gone by this stage.

For me, these are the issues which make the Portsmouth saga important. The touch on the fundementals of what is wrong with much of the game today as well as offering the possibility of an alternative with clubs run by fans or atleast the fans being given more control in how the club is run.

I think you probably under-estimate the significance of the situation. Portsmouth FC's recent failings do have national consequences and you can understand why many other football clubs might be looking over their shoulders over the course of the last few seasons. Fans throughout the country do have an understanding of what has gone on. I didn't wish to imply that Man Utd fans have some special insight, rather that they knew about the situation and could see that unless the Trust acquired the club quickly, you were doomed.

Hope this clears up my position.

Cheers

Ian

 

The xmas period has been a write off for us - and I think now barring a miraculous turn of fortune we are looking at Lge 2 football. Maybe in truth it is for the best. We have had a traumatic number of years where attempting to stay afloat and compete with restrictions has really been an impossible ask. Ian T in both his posts highlights lots of relevant reasons for our tumble down the divisions. Thinking about it Lge 2 football may actually be the genuine fresh start we need - a squad made up of a few senior pro's (spine of the team really) and the rest made up of talented youngsters - yes it will be hard going - but a realistic wage structure and a genuine slow build is what we really need to wipe away the painful demise that is our current plight. The stripes may have been in exactly our position but they at least came out the other side with a new stadium and decent training facilities - yes they got lucky owner wise but they did not then go daft - we only ended up with a team of very good players who all took the money offered away from the club - our infrastructure was totally neglected. They, Norwich and Leeds have all shown the road back is possible and size wise we should compare ourselves with these clubs - so it's a case of supporting as we do, seeing how the points fall and really using Lge Two if it comes to pass as our genuine fresh start. PUP

 

There is very little between League 1 (now all the large ex-prem sides have left it) and League 2. If you struggle in League 1, you'll struggle in League 2.

 

That's not always true, WE have struggled in League 1 when we have been in their over since we got relegated from the Championship but we have always been too good for League 2.

 

You once shipped seven against Accrington. SEVEN.

 

Lee Williamson is saying that he doesn't intend leaving this month.

 

You've forgotten Pamarot and Webber Woops - they're part of the strange rumour as well - totally denied by the way.

Next week might, or might not, be interesting as quite a few of the players are out of contract (5th).

Scott Allan's loan ends tomorrow - I will be very surprised if he hangs around any longer. Only Williamson, Benson and Connolly destined to stay. Rocha's deal not up until the 19th but I reckon he will stay.

 

We have made Ben Strevens and Connor Essam available on free transfers, Connor is a talent for the future and we are gutted that he is going but he is available to a good home if you want him.

 

Reports say Mustapha Dumbuya is off to Swindon Town. Paulo DI Canio has his as one of his top priorities for the transfer window.

 

I T having made his point clearer has stated what a lot of fans are fearing for their own clubs, disending down through the leagues was always on the cards for us.......the state our club was left in by the sasha brigade was always a recipe for disaster. Parachute payments work, provided they can be used for the intended purpose, to aide a teams bank balance in retaining good players with the loss of Premier income.......if the payments have to be used to keep the wolfs from the door........the players have to leave, the team is replaced, the team is weaker.......in our case not a team, more a collection of un wants out of contract or on loan.........you inevitably drop down the league.

The answer my friends is to back the team. Back the club and support it. We average gates of 13,000+ this season at FP, rivaled only by Wednesday....... if the support is there, the fan base is strong. if the fan base backs the club by pleding support to the pst, then there is a good chance our fortunes over the coming seasons can change.......but it will be slow ans it will only happen if people actually do it!

There are too many fans of PFC that have not made a pledge......of any amount, that think it will be all ok. Well it wont, there is a real chance of liquidation still..........so get your dosh out and support the PST, if you still want a club that is!!!!!!!!

PUP, BP

 

Scott Allan has returned to WBA - I really rate him but he was wasted in our club at the moment.

 

Yes it does. Thanks for fully explaining where you're coming from and I completely agree with your comments. Perhaps the only part I struggle with is the idea of an "informed" football fan. We all think we understand our clubs inside out. However, as Pompey fans understand all too much, we actually have very little real knowledge of what's really happening! Whilst an objective view can help, I think that all that most fans can really hold on to is an idealised vision of how football should be run. I think this is where my point about Man U fans was coming from. Anyway, a slightly pessimistic view, but then you can probably understand that from a Pompey fan at the moment with all that's happening both on and off the pitch.

 

We are now trying to get James Keene back to the club - probably on loan from Elfsborg. The 27 year old striker who came up the ranks through our youth scheme was training with Pompey back in November and really wants to return.

Marko Futaks is an absolute no-go though, can't afford him.

 

Harley, Williamson, Howard and Dumbaya won't have their contracts renewed...

 

John Harley, Lee Williamson, Mustapha Dumbuya and Brian Howard - all told that their contracts won't be renewed.

John Harley gutted as he wanted to stay, so did Lee Williamson.

Cost cutting continues.

Along with all the sniping between sections of the fans.

Last thing we need is a fractured fan-base.

 

Hah - you typed that quicker than me then.