There would still be a Pompey, but it would have had to start again in non-league, with a clean slate, no legacy debt, no property developers sniffing round and more than likely, would have got more backing from the City Council too. I reckon it would also have been much more fun for fans to run and follow, than another season or two or three of relegation battles and decreasing enthusiasm from the fanbase. I don't see anything too honourable in trying to save a club/business that was rotton to the core, with the biggest (and worse morally) debts of any club in history.
Liquidation is not our choice though. It is the admins choice. I'm really getting annoyed with people automatically assuming that having a property developer is bad news for the club. The deal is not something the PST are held ransom to. Now that Chanrai's has "gone" if the developer left we could still pick up the loan from the council. It work for us as well as him. He makes 100k from rent and will receive money when we eventually buy back the ground. There is also money in it for him if and when FP is developed. Obviously this is way in the future but at least the option is there. I also fail to see why you assume we wil be stuck in relegation battles for years to come, along with the support for the club decreasing. Plenty of clubs have been promoted on a small budget an sustained. The overall aim is to improve the academy anyway along with training ground so we don't have to splash out on players. Again this won't be an instant remedy but we are not looking for an instant solution. Too many clubs try for that and it rarely works, and almost always ends in tears. It is about time the people running football clubs aimed for stability and steady growth from within rather than "chasing the dream". "I don't see anything too honourable in trying to save a club/business that was rotton to the core, with the biggest (and worse morally) debts of any club in history". The business as an entity did nothing wrong. PFC limited is a name. It was the people running the club that caused all the damage to the club, the city and its people. We are the ones cleaning up the mess, and are more than ready to turn it into a business that is associated with honest and open procedures. "biggest (and worse morally) debts of any club in history" Really? The majority of debts were ran up just like any other football club including your own. Spending obscene amounts of money with money you may or may not have in the future, is just the way football clubs are ran in this country. Whilst the previous directors have done terrible things at this club, they are almost gone. And the people that suffered at the hands of these people, are finally gonna get their club back in safe hands.
I wonder how many times you said "in safe hands" when the previous owners first took over the club with many promises about squad investment, academy, training facilities and stadiums?? Your support is decreasing, or at least returning to a figure that could be quantified as the "hardcore support". The trust won't be able to do anything radical with ticket prices because there is the little matter of the creditors agreement to adhere to. "Not looking for an instant solution" Glad to hear it, but PFC fans are just as fickle as any others and lets not kid ourselves there will be pressure from day 1 for the PST to deliver on its promises. All this crap already about being the "biggest" fan owned club in the country really makes me laugh. Not even got their feet under the table and already obsessing about mythical targets that simple create expectation amongst the fans and media.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20452341 Christ! I'm all for having a pop at saving your football club, but really??? I sincerely hope he has exaggerated his position. I also hope he didn't really name his kids "Pompey".
He's done a lot for this club Micah. He is most definitely the kind of person we want in a position of authority for our club, and the kind of fan that every set of supporters needs, especially with the way football is going. Too many secrets and people turning a blind eye. Although naming his kids "pompey" is a tad extreme.
Just the sort of fan to be involved if Portmouth are to be saved. Most fans (of all clubs) should never be let near a business. Have to say I disapprove of giving children funny names (a bete noir of mine) but doubt that is important to Pompey at the moment.
Those poor children. We should, of course, make every effort to turn them into Southampton fans when they are old enough to be let off their father's leash. We could have a collection to change their names by deed poll.
Maybe (hopefully) he means they've got a reference to Portsmouth in their names rather than literally having the name Pompey in their names. For example their middle names could be Alan (referencing Alan Knight), Linvoy (referencing Linvoy Primus), Andy (referencing Andy Awford), James/Jim (referencing Jimmy Dickinson) etc.
Daughter: Paige-Olivia Michelle Penny Elaine Yasmin (spells Pompey) Son: Lawrence Dean Pompey Invictus Daughter: Roseannah Eleanor Elizabeth Pompey Daughter: Jasmine Georgina Patricia Pompey (Taken from the Pompey obsessives thread on SaintsWeb)
"Most fans (of all clubs) should never be let near a business" _________________________________ To be fair, they couldn't possibly be as bad as some of the Pfc's previous owners. If they are, we will know soon enough, because they'll probably be a Tesco popping up on Fratton Park.
Good luck to Pompey is all I have to say and I hope it all works for them as their guys have worked really hard on the PST bid and you have to say well done for uncovering all the dodgy stuff done by that shower who screwed the club in the first place. If I was young enough for such things and had a daughter I might be tempted to name her Nicola Marian and if I had a son I wouldn't get a look in for it would just have to be called MORGAN
Nicola's a nice name for a girl. I've had a bit of a crush on a girl called Nicola for years. At least they have more than one middle name, so they can always just pretend the other one doesn't exist. Though it may lead to some chuckles on wedding day.
It's like those mugs who call their children after a whole team...poor blighter has to put eleven names into a 1 inch box on a form for the rest of their life or change it by deed poll. I also hate people who give children perfectly ordinary names then misspell them. Sorry, rant over.
There is a fine line between being a dedicated football fan and being a slightly obsessed and dillusional football fan. I know what box I would place that mush. "awesome catchment area" errrr, that's never changed and the only time they turned up is for Wembley, same as any other club. "200,000 different fans in Fratton over the last few seasons" WTF?!?! how thick is he? Is he adding up all the attendances thinking its different fans everyweek?! Including away fans?! Dear oh dear, thats the sort of "accounting" that has got Pompey into many a mess, let me guess, the PST is making him Finance Director!??!
