Would-be owner insists he has funds in place to take over Pompey
THE 21-year-old frontman for a bid to buy Pompey has insisted he has what it takes to become the club's owner.
Tom Lever told The News he has the funding in place to complete the takeover.
He says he planned to be in charge at Fratton Park two weeks ago - but he blames the club's administrator Andrew Andronikou for the hold-up.
Mr Lever, who turns 22 on Monday, said: 'I've got the funding in place to do the deal. But Andrew has put us in a bit of a chicken and egg situation because he will not give us the information we need to close the deal.'
As reported in The News yesterday, Mr Lever and his financial backers are yet to receive paperwork showing the club's accounts - despite making their bid known to Mr Andronikou in early August.
Mr Lever said: 'My financiers need to see profit and loss accounts and cash flows so we can close the deal but we're still waiting.
'We have no idea why it is taking so long.
'I was hoping to be in by now - I was hoping it would be done two weeks ago.
'But every week he (Andronikou) sets us a new hoop to jump through.
'Every obstacle he's given us, we have got past, only for him to ask for something else.
'But at the same time he's not helping us to close the deal.'
Mr Lever, who appeared on the MTV reality show Living on the Edge about wealthy teenagers living in Cheshire, has said he would not put any of his own money into the purchase.
He has refused to discuss his personal wealth or circumstances.
But he said he would provide a personal guarantee to his anonymous group of lenders.
The deal is based on cash investment from one backer, a mortgage and a bridging loan which Mr Lever has said will be charged at a 'very competitive rate that the club can afford'.
Mr Andronikou did not return calls yesterday.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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