Toast Season 4 # 21 - Three points with love!

Three hard won points were just the right to the Valentines weekend we all wanted. It sounds as though there was noting to love about the appearance of the game but Pompey fought hard and got what they observed.

I doubt Dave Kitson will look his best for lovers day after get a kick in the face and there will be no cards sent to the referee by Jonathan Hogg for his dubious second yellow card. Joel Ward though will get all the kisses after his delightful chip calmed the nerves in the second half. A vital clean sheet to and has Gandor commented in the match report 'is it a coincidence that forgotten men Hermann and Rocha were back?`

But the first win of the year will set Pompey up well with a run of home games coming up against sides below them, games which will determine how comfortable the end of the season will be.

Five of the next seven are at Fratton Park with Barnsley, Palace, Scunthorpe, Sheffield United and Middlesbrough the visitors. In between are trips to Ipswich and Bristol City. It will definitely define the season although Pompey have not fared well against sides in the bottom half getting better results when playing sides in the upper reaches of the table. That has to stop now and points MUST be picked up in this run.

Welcome back

Great to see assistant referee Sian Massey back in the Premier League action at Blackpool yesterday! She was given a run out with top referee Howard Webb and let`s hope it is the re-start of her promising career.

Meanwhile on Monday morning the 'culprits` in the affair, Andy Gray and Richard Keys start their new careers on talkSport.

Takeover talk

We have all heard of the possible takeover by a consortium led by Business magnate Vladimir Antonov who although London based and described as Russian in fact from Lithuania.

Well Toast has heard that there was an early morning London meeting yesterday with representatives of the club who stopped off on their way to Yorkshire. We also understand that with this interest surfacing other groups may now surface.

Of course Heart already have a Lithuanian owner in Vladimir Romanov who also has a stake in two other clubs, Kaunas in his native country and Belarus club Partizan Minsk so the small ex Soviet state is no stranger to the ownership of football clubs in this country.

Wind up time

At a meeting held at the High Court on Thursday a date was set for the appointment of the liquidators who will investigate Pompey`s financial crisis.

It is believed Baker Tilly Restructuring and Recovery will start the liquidation process of the old company shortly. Then a full investigation will commence when it MAY be clearer who was to blame for the mess we got into.

When your luck is out

Everything conspires against poor old Pompey - Mokoena leaves the country for a friendly with Kenya and get back because of a work permit problem!! Whatever next?

Pompey were also in talks with two players on Friday over possible loan moves but they both rejected the offer. Details are sketchy but we gather one was a forward.

Local derby victory!

Pompey academy beat their local rivals from seventeen miles up the road yesterday to notch only their second win of the season. The youngsters came from a goal down too. Obviously quality over quantity as Southampton are top of the Academy League South!!

Toast had a man there and we will quiz him in the week for a story next week.

Toast is a bit short this week I am afraid because I have been without the Internet for a while due to building works in the Toast offices. Sorry folks hopefully normal service will be resumed next week.

Good luck Argyle

Talking of rivalries I think we would all like to wish Plymouth Argyle the very best of luck as they face their fight with the Taxman. Their players have not been paid for January and the next tax bill is due on 22nd February.

Familiar times eh!! Green Army!!

PUP

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