Toast 6#14 Another blank day

Another very frustrating afternoon at Fratton Park yesterday as lack lustre Pompey drew another blank against away specialists Doncaster Rovers.

Debutant winger Nathaniel Mendez-Laing was the only bright note about the afternoon but inevitably as a wide man he flitted in and out of the game. Up front Paul Benson failed to strike up any understanding with Izale McLeod and often found himself in the same area as the top scorer.

It was McLeod who missed Pompey`s best chance when put through by a Brian Howard pass. Faced by just the keeper he lifted the ball over Woods and the crossbar. Second later Ludo Michanik headed against the angle of post and crossbar.

The crowd tried to lift the side but to be honest heads had dropped about halfway through the second period. The goal after twenty four minutes too was a total mix up between Howard and his keeper and after that the visitors showed why they have a good away record. They killed time at every opportunity and made the game anything but a spectacle.

So the goalless streak has now passed eight hours and with only one home game in the next month times ahead look bleak. The possible return of Ricardo Rocha would bring necessary organisation to the back line and hopefully the habit of conceding soft goals can be ended.

Guy will no doubt try and move loan players around to change things with rumours that both Carl Dickinson and Scott Allan will return home after their loan periods end growing. The GAP band certainly have their work cut out.

Evening papers

After we noted the passing of the Sports Mail last month research shows me that there are just three Saturday evening football papers still in operation in Britain. They are The Pink in Southampton, the Green 'Un in Sheffield and the Football Echo in Sunderland.

The Trust buy out

'This truly is fantastic news and the start of a new chapter for Portsmouth Football Club` were the words used my Pompey Chairman elect Iain McInnes. Rather like the words uttered by the late Neil Armstrong when he stepped onto the surface of the moon they are probably understated.

It was not just a great day for Pompey but a great day for football as the fans showed that they can group together and own THEIR football club. When the Trust was first set up and then set about owning the club they had many, many doubters, a number of you will be reading this, but they stuck at it and have put in thousands of hours of effort from their own time. They have of course almost succeeded in their mission and deserve so much credit for the way they have gone about it.

The only sad note was of course the loss of Tony Goodall along the way and if anyone deserved to be at the press conference on Thursday it was him.

The old club

Indeed it would already appear Portpin have much more to worry about than the redemption of their charge. At a recent hearing of the Solicitors` Disciplinary Tribunal evidence was given as to the way in which Portpin`s solicitor, Mark Jacob and the firm of Fuglers, were complicit in breaches of a solicitor`s undertaking in their conduct of affairs at Pompey in 2009 - 10.

In addition, liquidators of PCFC Ltd (the old club), Baker Tilly,who are carrying out the forensic audit have issued notices asking for the return of monies removed from the club in contravention of the Insolvency Act. It is very likely Portpin have received one of those letters. There is also a lot more to come from official investigations into the way Portpin have been involved with Pompey over the last three years.

Apologies

For Toast being a little short on content this week but I have been very busy. However why not spend the time reading the Trust prospectus because it is worth a read for all football fans!!

Trust in the Trust and PUP

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