Administrator says Pompey fans have a ‘real opportunity’ for bid
SUPPORT Fans could be in with a chance to buy Pompey
POMPEY supporters are preparing to make a bid for a financial stake in the club after the new administrator voiced his support.
Trevor Birch revealed that fan involvement was ‘definitely an option’ following a private meeting on Monday with the chairman of the Pompey Supporters’ Trust.
It comes as the trust surveys supporters to see how much they could contribute towards a bid.
Mr Birch, who will host a fans’ forum at Fratton Park tonight, said: ‘We are going to speak to them and I think that has to be looked at as a real opportunity.
‘Maybe there is a mood to say that if the Supporters’ Trust owns the club then there is a sense of renewal and a new start.
‘That could be potentially attractive to people.
‘You can have a mega benefactor – but then we have seen how unstable that model is and certainly has been at this football club.’
He said the Fratton Park crowd could also entice potential investors.
‘If you are going to buy a football club then Portsmouth I think would be one of the clubs you would look at,’ he said.
‘If they came on Saturday against Leeds hopefully it is going to be a super atmosphere and it can influence people. The fans have a big part to play in that.
‘Nobody has come forward yet. There are people I am aware of who are interested, but have not yet had meetings with them.
‘There will be somebody, I am sure, just by the very nature of football and this football club. People will be interested.’
Trust chairman Ashley Brown said they were finally in a position to find out what would be needed for a serious bid and confirmed they are talking to a number of wealthy people who could back them.
‘We spent weeks trying to get any information at all out of the last administrators,’ he said.
‘Mr Birch met us on his first full day in the job, which shows a plain difference.’
The Pompey Supporters’ Trust has contacted around 5,000 people signed up to the pompeys12thman website to ask them what level of involvement in the club’s future they think fans should have – and how much they would be willing to donate towards community ownership.
Trust spokesman Scott Mclachlan said they were hoping to receive around 1,500 responses to the survey.
‘If we can get that many people to respond then we can get an idea of how many fans want to get involved,’ he said.
Conservative city councillor and Pompey fan Steve Wemyss said he would put in £1,000 and called on all supporters who could afford it to ‘stand up and be counted’.
Tonight, fans groups will meet Mr Birch to ask questions at the Victory Lounge in Fratton Park at 7pm.
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Comments
There are 85 comments to this article
Page 1 of 6
cjinrak
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 07:24 PMIf the only potential new owner isn't as rich as he needs to be, and the only way PFC can survive is with financial input from the Trust, what is wrong with that? If no new owner arrives, and PFC are liquidated, and the Trust is able to start a "continuation-club", what is wrong with that? In either scenario, we will be forced to operate on a financial level on a par with small towns, not medium & large cities. it will be so tough. But it will be a Pompey football team for Pompey people. Better than no football team and no identity.
breville
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 05:29 PMTime and again us supporters prove that we are the best in the land. Our players may seldom perform these days but you can guarantee our magnificent home and travelling support always do. Ronaldinho and Henry think we're comparable with anyone in the world so for me, the next logical step would be to have the supporters involved in running the club. After all, as pack the park proved, we never let the club down!
Jibber 'Pompey' Jabber
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 05:21 PMAs much as I would like to see our great club owned, or part owned, by our terrific fans....I can't quite work out where on earth the money will come from to pay the players salaries!!! Maybe as an earlier post says, these wannabe chairmen should consider starting their own club, as I just don't see a way these is economically feasible! PUP
Seedhouse Rides Again
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 05:14 PM@75. It was a joke!
MTH
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 05:06 PMCondem halfwits@79? I agree with you and remember it all to well the man is a charlatan and should go west .....PUP
The Imposter
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 04:38 PMlampitt, redgate and byrom gone
LibDem Halfwits
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 04:37 PMWe don't want your 30 pieces of silver Weymess. Some of us still remember how you colluded with the last Tory government to deny us the ground at Farlington, and you had the front to be at the head of the supporters club at the time! How different our future might have been, but for you selling the club out?
thependragon81
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 04:36 PMA lot of those in favour of Plan B have got so carried away that they will never until the club is wound up and they have control. Maybe its better if some of you go and form your own club!
mensi
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 04:31 PMLAMPITT SACKED !!!!!!!
Nothing but the blues
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 04:27 PMI'm an engineer, not property developer, but I generally don't let my ignorance impede me. Since it may be difficult getting financial support for the club with its present structure, maybe the Trust or other fan groups could launch a bid for the Gaydamak property - and have something tangible that could later facilitate the sale of the club to an acceptable buyer. What is such land it worth? It may turn out to be a gift rather than an investment, but I would be more interested in owning a square metre of Fratton Park than a contributing to a small fraction of the weekly wage. PUP.
MTH
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 04:26 PMSeed house: I seem to remember the first time you posted on this forum you complained about some fans making gestures to you while you were on the coach to Pompey and went on to say imply that Stain fans would never do such a thing because you have a nice city and mature well behaved fans .Now go back and read your OWN immature post and read the press articles about stain fans thrown coins and other objects on the pitch at both Fratton Park and Ashton Gate(Bristol City) You really are a sanctimonious Idiot............PUP
bluelagoon
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 03:53 PMBy the way, for all those people who are worried about preserving our unbroken history since 1898 -- it is exactly 100 years ago (1912) that the Portsmouth Football and Athletic Club was wound up in court and a phoenix club founded, Portsmouth Football Club. -- Phoenix clubs seem to work...
BlueArmy11
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 03:53 PMI am hardly deluded and I have been a supported of the club since i was 6 (1986) so I have seen some hard times even though I cannot ulogise about going to the bottom of the old 4th division and rising again. There are plenty of non league teams that could have this energy of "plan B" channeled into them. And they all equal the same thing. They are not Portsmouth Football Club. Yes things are hard but come on, when CSI came along it was all sh1ts and giggles from the fans. If you want to start again then go and check out some non league football and support them now. I do know a good deal of businessmen who have already mooted they will be interested in supporting a scheme. I actually work for one very wealthy gentleman who has said he might as well give it to Portsmouth rather than her indoors! We have to accept that footballerrs get paid lots of money more than theyre worth. Once we get rid of 5 or 6 of these then we can balance things more. If we do go out of existence then i would never suport a new mock pompey team.. no way!
Phil Ashworth 4
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 03:43 PM@69. v funny. The first game I went to at FP in the eighties.. the pompey fans were singing.. "who's up Lawrie's b*m, who's up Lawrie's b*m, Kevin Kevin Keegan is". still makes me laugh now,,, things haven't changed have they?,,,
ThurmanMurman
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 03:32 PMi think "deluded" is the most commonly used word on this site!
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