Official: Portsmouth Deducted 9 Points

[THFC6061]

The Premier League have confirmed a nine-point deduction for Portsmouth to take place "with immediate effect".

The League's board met on Wednesday morning to impose the sanction after HM Revenue and Customs yesterday dropped their challenge to the club going into administration.

The deduction virtually guarantees relegation for Portsmouth, whose total drops to just 10 points, 14 behind second-from-bottom Hull.

The Premier League said in a statement: "Following the High Court's decision that Portsmouth FC's administration is valid the Premier League board convened today to apply the League's rules and policies in relation to a member club suffering an event of insolvency.

"As a result Portsmouth FC has been deducted nine points with immediate effect.

"As part of this process the board met with the administrator to agree how we will work together for the remainder of the season to ensure that the club is able fulfil its commitments."

Portsmouth have debts of £65 million and administrator Andrew Andronikou was to meet with League officials on Wednesday to get details of the cash the club will receive between now at the start of next season.

The final tranche of £5million, mostly from TV money, will be made available to the club before the end of the season and a further £16 million in the close season as the 'parachute payment' for the now certain relegation.

Portsmouth do have a right of appeal but only for very limited grounds and it is understood the club will not challenge the points deduction.

League rules state: "The only ground upon which a club may appeal is that... the event of insolvency was caused by and resulted directly from circumstances, other than normal business risks, over which it could not reasonably be expected to have had control, and its officials had used all due diligence to avoid the happening of that event."

Portsmouth would find it extremely difficult to prove that anything other than previous spending policies at the club were to blame.

Andronikou, meanwhile, says the investors behind a takeover bid headed by property developer Rob Lloyd will need to reveal their identities to him and the Premier League if they wish to proceed.

The administrator has also demanded proof that the consortium has sufficient funds available.

Andronikou said: "There will have to be more clarity about his backers before the middle of next week.

"I have asked to know who the owners would be. It is part of a bundle of information I need to see. We need the whole picture."

[424style]

Ive never understood this. A club has problems so they punish the club, how is that going to help them? Strange if you ask me.

Could someone enlighten me as to what the point of deducting points is.

[samuel007]

All though I feel very sorry for the club/supporters/Manager(s), the point deduction will defently serve as a lesson for other teams not to go down the same road.
I dont really understand how the bollox a prem club can still go into administation, I mean I understand how it has happenned, but why/how where they allowed to get there? Why wern't they stopped? And shouldn't the morons who put themselves in that position be paying a huge fine?

[BigDub]

A point deduction in this case does not punish the correct people. Instead of punishing owners and execs, this reaction punishes players and fans. It's quite ridiculous, really. Pompey fans didn't deserve the shitty leadership they had and they certainly don't deserve this point deduction. Rules are rules, i guess...but this one just is not fair.

[HeroesComesandGoes]

I agree with those who agree that point deductions is WRONG. Administors are trying to keep the club financially afloat and this won't help. Also, how are the points calculated? Pompey 9 and Crystal Palace 10 - there's not conformity and no clear method for calculating deductions. It's just wrong.

[Javi]

What a way to kick them while they are down serious bullshit.

[block31]

Shame, would rather go down there that up to the likes of Wigan, Hull, Blackburn (you get the picture). Proper club with proper fans, who its hard not to feel for.

[PunchInTheNutz]

This brings back a few bad memories from the 90's to say the least.

[Justice]

So pompey are officially going down now?

[CmonyouSpurs]

So pompey are officially going down now?

Mathematically they still have a chance of staying up. If they win all their remaining games they could get up to 37 points. However, the likelihood of them doing this is very slim and thus they are all but relegated.

[Justice]

Mathematically they still have a chance of staying up. If they win all their remaining games they could get up to 37 points. However, the likelihood of them doing this is very slim and thus they are all but relegated.

That's a shame. Always had a soft spot for Pompey

[Dancubus]

Going down to the Championship is yet another financial blow, thats a huge chuck of TV cash they'll be missing out on.

[yidno1]

Crazy rule that doesnt help Pompey retain their status and thus being able to pay off the huge debts they have racked up, like others have said its punishing the fans and players who dont deserve such action.

At the very least they will survive as a club.

[Park Lane Yido]

Ive never understood this. A club has problems so they punish the club, how is that going to help them? Strange if you ask me.

Could someone enlighten me as to what the point of deducting points is.

Ok, I'm probably only of the only ones who thinks that a points deduction is fair. Points deductions are not a new thing. They were brought in as a way to stop clubs spending way in excess of their means in order to win games by having far better players than they could sensibly afford.

Pompey would have known the possible consequences when they were buying those players.

Would Pompey have won the FA Cup if they had of only bought players they could afford?

Would Pompey still be in the Prem if they had of only bought players they could afford?

The money they have spent, which they didn't have, has bought them far more than the 9pts they are being deducted.

They are lucky they weren't wound up by HMRC. A points reduction is a league readjustment for a club trying to buy points beyond their means and ending up in administration because of it. It's there as a serious warning to other clubs not to do the same.

[ctw01]

Its ironic to think the PL introduced a" fit and proper rule" , sanctioned those to own the club and then punish that club when it gets into financial trouble.
How the fook !!!!!