Saul on Sunday
Pay Up Pompey, Pompey Pay Up.
Portsmouth FC dodged a bullet in the High Court this week; they have stumbled from crisis to crisis and are now on their fourth owner so far this season. Up until now they have escaped administration, as the majority of their creditors are football related.
However it has emerged that they owe £11.5m to none other than the Taxman. HMRC are not known for their compassion when it comes to money owed and pleas of, consider the fans and what about the community will fall on deaf ears. Southend United and Cardiff City have also had their cases adjourned this week, albeit with much smaller debts. Crystal Palace have already gone into administration and have received a 10 point deduction. There are murmurings that HRMC are tiring of football clubs escaping their creditors, especially as they are one of the main losers, and that they are seeking to make an example of one.
Administration for Portsmouth may start to look attractive to them now, as the alternative is a winding up order. If this were to happen then the Premier League would have a major headache. All of the fixtures they have played so far this season may be declared null and void. Will the PL sit back and allow this to happen? They promote their product around the world and rake in vast amounts of revenue; if one of their teams were to fold it would hardly be good for business.
The two David’s, Gold and Sullivan are talking of making pay cuts at West Ham United. Manchester United and Liverpool are struggling under debts that make Portsmouth’s look like a slate at the local corner shop.
All the football haters out their must be laughing their socks off.
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February 14, 2010 at 17:14 -
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February 14, 2010 at 17:16 -
Saul, you’re absolutely right. My socks have been laughed off all weekend.
God, I hate football, its moronic, overpaid thugs, its linguistically challenged managers and everything to do with soccer, with a considerable vengeance.
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February 14, 2010 at 17:58 -
Whatever the rights or wrongs it’s still the most popular sport worldwide. In many ways what has happened in football over the last few years has mirrored the wider economic situation – with players taking the role of house prices and the financial arrangements of some of the biggest clubs equalling those of some of the biggest banking institutes.
What’s even more worrying is that the government wants to appoint a state regulator. That’ll definitely finish it off.
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February 14, 2010 at 18:28 -
DC, interestingly Henry Winter said the same thing this morning on Sky Sports. He went further by saying that the issue of football finances would figure highly in the run up to the General Election.
How august organisations such as The FA, UEFA and FIFA will react to a state regulator will make interesting viewing.
What would it be called? OffFooty?
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February 14, 2010 at 18:38 -
If enough clubs above them go bust then Tranmere Rovers and Leyton Orient could be in the Premiership. It would add a bit of class. But would Tonbridge Angels manage to make League 2? Then their matches could be televised in place of “Songs of Praise”.
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February 14, 2010 at 19:25 -
Football and footballists are forever on the TV. The ‘wonderful game’ (cough, spit) has become the new national religion. The players, many imported, are vastly overpaid to do what, exactly? Kick a ball on ‘our’ behalf? Don’t be silly! If a ball needs kicking surely we can do that for ourselves (not that I have seen balls requiring such action). It has become big business against all logic. Where is the justification? I am sick and tired of hearing about it. Should I become Emperor my first Imperial edict will be to ban the game!
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February 14, 2010 at 20:20 -
Sorry to intrude on this thread folks, but I tried to send an article to Anna to see whether or not she found it worthy of posting and it got ‘bounced’ as we ancient and tattered airmen used to say.
The following message to was undeliverable.
The reason for the problem:
5.1.0 – Unknown address error 550-’5.2.1 … Mailbox disabled for this recipient’ -
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February 14, 2010 at 21:14 -
What would it be called?
…..
KickOff?
OffSide?
SentOff?
PenaltyPlayOff? -
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February 14, 2010 at 21:42 -
It would be called Footoff, and thus open to being appropriately misheard.
Sorry to be contrarian again chaps. Cato, you are mistaking the people who love the game for the people who run it – and the yobs who attend the games as an excuse to drink and be loudly obscene. The decline of our culture does not an ugly game make.
My solution(s) are simple:
1. All players to be sold into slavery.
2. Murdoch to be shot.
3. Flotation of clubs to be banned.
4.All clubs to be mutualised and owned by the supporters.
5. All seats to be ripped out and stand-roofs removed.
6. Seven out of every eleven club players to have been born in the county where the club is situated.
7. Boots to be made of harsh, skin-stripping leather. Kit to weigh no less than a kilo. All balls to have stitches. All pitches to be heavily watered regardless of weather.
8. Any player disputing a decision to be banned for a season. Public executions for any player touching a referee.
9. Flat admission fee of 2/6d.
10. Tax of 50% on current player salaries, backdated four years, just before they all bugger off to Japan or Korea or the US. Money collected to be used to create a soccer academy where self-discipline and crowd-entertainment skills will be taught to any person of 13 and upwards displaying real talent and an ability to play 90 minutes without crying, diving, gesticulating or kissing team-mates.The beautiful game is still divine; it has merely been buried under a mountain of Australian money and agents.
xx
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February 16, 2010 at 19:10 -
We were watching the Snowboard Cross from the Winter Olympics. Now THAT’S a dangerous business! Four snowboarders racing each other at break-neck speed over multiple jumps and down a mountain, first one to the bottom wins.
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