Things getting very hairy down at Fratton Park.

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Portsmouth boss Avram Grant has pleaded for the club’s future ahead of today’s High Court winding-up order which could move the club closer to administration.
Talks with Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to try to get the action dropped broke down, but Portsmouth are still keen for a 28-day adjournment.
Grant said: “I ask the court to think not about the situation they see on the papers, football is not just papers.
“This business belongs to the fans, they love this club.”
The court hearing on Wednesday moves Pompey a step closer to becoming the first top-flight club to go into administration.

The last-minute negotiations between Pompey’s lawyers and HMRC came a week after businessman Balram Chainrai became the club’s fourth owner this season.
An agreement has already been reached with the creditors other than HMRC who have been named in the case, which relates to a reported £7.5m Vat bill.
Pompey’s lawyers had been attempting to persuade HMRC to allow the club to pay a substantial part of the money owed, with the rest of the debt being rescheduled.
Chainrai, a Hong Kong businessman, is looking to sell the club quickly and has no wish to see it go under as he has made substantial loans to Portsmouth.

Chief executive Peter Storrie said in his programme notes ahead of Tuesday’s Premier League 1-1 draw against Sunderland: “I already have more than one interested party and am hopeful that we can finally find owners who have the best interests of everyone at the club at heart in order to move us forward.”
However, Brendon Bone, of supporters’ group SOS Pompey, told BBC Sport: “The talk about potential new buyers is all hearsay.
“We are hearing nothing but noise about selling on the club from the new owner, but if he does sell it on we hope he sells it to a football man.
“If all else fails at Portsmouth, Fratton Park can only be used for football, and we’d hope the council will take it over as a community club.
“HMRC want to get their money, and if they wind up the club, they won’t get it. I think there are pretty good chances of an adjournment.
“We are on the brink of losing our Premier League status. But the most important thing is Portsmouth Football Club, not the Premier League.” (BBC Sport)

It had seemed that everything was hunky dory and the flurry of potential buyers appeared to be set to ease the club’s short term worries about being ‘wound up’ but now it doesn’t seem quite so clear cut.

If I were a Portsmouth fan right now I would be very worried and more than a little annoyed at the way the club has been run for the Fratton Park outfit to have been left in this very serious position. Most football fans will no doubt offer their support to the stricken club but it does seem that whilst everyone is doing their best to resolve the situation there doesn’t appear to be much talk of why/how they ended up in this mess but I guess playing the blame game is not as pertinent as getting things sorted.

On the playing side the club has battled manfully to get themselves out of the relegation dogfight, as evidenced by last nights last gasp point against Sunderland, it will take a few more such battles to see them make their way our of trouble but I have a sneaky feeling that they could pull off a Houdini.

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