Court case adjourned but plenty happening

The Court case we have all been waiting for has been adjourned again. The following brief statement appeared on the Pompey website this afternoon - PKF have confirmed that tomorrow`s (February 14) court case has been adjourned until Thursday, February 21.

Not the news we wanted to hear and again no content to give any clue as to what is happening. However the case is between PKF and Portpin and does not involve the club directly or preferred bidder the Pompey Supporters Trust.

But as you would expect Trust spokesman Colin Farmery stepped up to the plate and issued the following statement-

'The Pompey Supporters' Trust has welcomed PKF's continued support for its bid and remains confident it would prevail, despite the latest adjournment in the High Court. The question coincided with the confirmation that the court case between administrator PKF and Portpin was being adjourned for a further seven days to February 21.

'Our bid is ready to go as we have been saying for some time now. We have around £2.5m in escrow from fan pledges and our individual investors, a figure we are confident will grow substantially once our bid proceeds. We have also agreed a short-term loan through the local authority and our property partner to ensure we can own Fratton Park from Day One.

'The adjournment is frustrating, but PKF make it clear we remain the preferred bidder. And he added that the Trust's relationship with the Professional Footballers Association was good.

'Negotiations with the PFA have been ongoing for some time now and they have been very supportive of what we are trying to do at Portsmouth. We also recognise the role that they have played in ensuring player support during the administration. These negotiations are detailed and complex, but following our most recent round of discussions we are confident that with the continued goodwill of the PFA we will find a resolution.'

Not too much more there Colin, just really restating the same story sadly and playing the waiting game. Meanwhile in the House of Commons Portsmouth North MP Penny Mordaunt asked the Prime Minister 'Does the Prime Minister take a dim view of people who say one thing and do another, such .........., or purporting to support fan ownership of football clubs while undermining the community buy-out of Pompey, as the Professional Footballers' Association has done this week?'

David Cameron, who has put his Government's weight behind support for a fans' takeover of Pompey, replied: 'May I wish my Honourable Friend well in her campaign to help Portsmouth Football Club? What she does is very important.'

Mordaunt's attack on the PFA was instigated by their rumoured request that the Court instruct the Administrator - who is a court official - to further investigate and evaluate the Keith Harris led bid. Under the Trust proposal the players would have to wait behind others to receive their cash from future parachute payments.

So that is that in a nutshell. Just a rather large nut!! There are limited funds to buy the club and future income to follow at a later date. The problem is everybody wants to be paid first - Chainrai, the PFA, Portsmouth City Council and developer Stuart Robinson - there may be others.

In years to come a Pompey fans quiz question will be 'which was postponed more often 1. The cup tie with Scunthorpe in 1963 or 2. The court case to reach a value of Fratton Park? The answer? Well we don't know yet.

PUP

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