A CITY financier is lining up a bid to take over Pompey, according to reports.
It is being reported Keith Harris is working with a team of football executives on a possible deal to take control of Portsmouth Football Club.
The financier has been involved with the club before, when previous administrator Andrew Andronikou recruited his firm to help find a buyer for the club.
His firm has acted in advisory roles during the takeovers of other football clubs including Chelsea and Newcastle United.
It comes after Trevor Birch, of Pompey’s administrator firm PKF, last year named the Pompey Supporters’ Trust as the preferred bidder for the club.
Penny Mordaunt, the MP for Portsmouth North, said: ‘The Pompey Supporters’ Trust bid has not only been the only bid for some time but is also the best bid.
‘I don’t know who this gentleman is and I have no reason to doubt his motive, but we have had enough of knights on white horses and it’s always ended unhappily.
‘So I would ask the administrator to take a more long-term view and consider what is the best bid for the club and to see creditors are going to be dealt with fairly.
‘With the PST, we know they will be [fair] because this is run by the fans and has the club’s best interests at heart.’
Bob Beech, of SOS Pompey, added: ‘Portsmouth Football Club must have a clean break from its past.
‘The only way our club can climb out of the mess created by others is a community-owned club with the Pompey Supporters’ Trust at the helm.’
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