Talks with the taxman give Pompey fans a chance for optimism
20/4/11 Aerial views of Portsmouth and the surrouning areas viewed from one of the Portsmouth Naval Gliding Centre's Motor Gliders. Pictured is Fratton Park and surrounding area Picture: Paul Jacobs (111408-23)
FANS have praised a city MP for getting the taxman to finally agree to hold talks with Pompey.
Portsmouth North MP Penny Mordaunt took part in a conference call yesterday between representatives from the club and Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs.
Chief executive David Lampitt joined other Pompey bosses in asking for more time to pay the unpaid tax bill, which led to a winding up petition being issued last month.
Afterwards, Ms Mordaunt said the call had made progress towards sorting out Portsmouth FC’s financial woes.
Colin Farmery, who runs TrueBlueArmy.com, said he was glad the main players were now speaking to one another.
‘It does reassure me,’ he said.
‘And I have to say I think Penny has played an absolute blinder for Portsmouth Football Club.
‘If she is cracking heads together then that has to be good sign.
‘We’re far from being out of the woods but if the conversations are happening then that is a good thing.
‘People need to talk and be realistic about things.
‘If the people involved have genuinely got the best interests of the football club at heart, then they’ll know what they need to do.’
Pompey have been unable to pay players and staff since HMRC’s winding up petition was made public last month.
The club could ultimately be facing liquidation if drastic action has not been taken by February 20 when they must face the taxman in the High Court.
Ms Mordaunt said she couldn’t reveal details of what was discussed yesterday, but that she was glad that talks had started.
‘It went well,’ she said. ‘It was a constructive conversation and we are further ahead now than we were.
‘I’m satisfied that it was useful to get HMRC and the club talking.
‘It was helpful and I’m pleased it took place.
‘The fans should be reassured that the people who need to talk to each other are now in discussion.
‘I am sure they will want to continue talking, but the topics of their conversations will depend on the circumstances.’
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Comments
There are 41 comments to this article
Page 1 of 3
BillyTheFish
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 06:34 AMWhy do people keep complaining that PFC are being harshly treated by HMRC. The way I see it, PFC have had 2 years since the last admin in 2010 to start repaying there debts but still havent paid a penny. All the local businesses charities etc have got bu*ger all, theres not been a single payment from the CVA and the last PP was spunked on players as usual. So after waiting for 2 years to start getting there reduced payment from the CVA, HMRC have said stuff it . I agree if liquidated they'll probably get nothing, but they'll probably never get anything anyway. Theyve just decided enough is enough, we'll cut our losses and wind PFC up to stop the debt getting as big as last time and if it was any other business who could blame them. Its not the supporters fault, although I guess we all like to see the best players in our team, but management must take full resposibility for this continual saga of dodgy owners etc. You cant even blame the PL or FL, for if they were to have been more stringent in the fit and proper test, who would have bought PFC, there was no one else, apart from these shady characters looking to clean some money and make a quick quid. After all the things that have been said about BC, people are now hoping he will save the club from liquidation and this sorry saga will continue. Its time to face facts and look to the future, get rid of this curse and start again.
westendsaint
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 09:10 PMPOMPEY FAN FOR 60 YEARS - Like most of us, you conveniently forget that you had tax relief on your pension contributions over the years. I am not being judgemental, I do the same!!
bluelagoon
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 04:42 PM38 - Crystal Palace also have the smallest home gate ever for a PL match, 3,039.
Royal Blue
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 03:28 PM@33 russian chris, don't forget Crystal Palace, also south of the Thames, with 51,482.
bluelagoon
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 10:16 AM35 pompeyfanfor60years --- Both of your assumptions are wrong.
Exgaffer
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 09:42 AM60years, let's keep politics out of this shall we? The NHS is another argument entirely and no political party will be able to maintain it in it's current form for long - aging population, expensive treatments, it's just too expensive mate.
pompeyfanfor60years
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 10:10 PMBlue Lagoon I assume from your comments then that you are a plan B supporter which would mean total Liquidation and in the current climate total extinction. . Also I assume you think it ok to donate your hard earned money to Vodaphone but not Pompey.
pompeyfanfor60years
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 10:00 PMOh and by the way if Cameron gets his way we won't have an NHS
russian chris
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 04:27 PMMind you -over 51000 in this ground -no other club South of London can say that they have had so many fans in a ground,and only 2 clubs south of the Thames(chelsea and charlton) have had more fans in their ground. Biggest i managed in FP was 46000 for the Fulham cup replay in 66-67.
russian chris
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 04:10 PMRather crooked picture of the park id say! shows what the boilermakers hump does to the ground! Wouldnt see many grounds looking like this these days! At least its real and not like the pac-a-mac stadiums around(one of which is just along the road,you know,with the gas tanks as its main sign of entry)
Pompey Grover
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 01:48 PMNice pic of the park there
Trueblue78
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 01:42 PMTotally agree, when Plymouth and Darlington were staring death in the face, fans from all clubs were offering words of sympathy and encouragment, even donating. Now Pompey are back in a hole, nobody gives a damn.
EastMidsBlue
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 12:40 PMHas anybody noticed how little support we have from other clubs regarding our current plight? With the exception of some Southampton fans who offered to attend the Hull game in order to boost our own clubs coffers, there has been a scant response from elsewhere. I believe that this is down to the fact that we are currently viewed by other football fans as trying to get away with it again and in effect "Cheating the Public Purse". Now I honestly believe that we should be trying to change two things in football, namely the Football Creditors Ruling and Ownership Clarity. Firstly the Football Creditors rule was allegedly introduced to stop teams from cheating by getting in players by gambling and then not necessarily paying them or paying for them if the gamble should fail. It also ensures that transfer fees are paid up in full, should the buying club go into administration. These are amongst many other additional points that the ruling helps. Now I very much doubt that there is a football fan in the country that actually believes that this ruling is fair when it comes to way that HMRC are treated. Now I cannot see why if a team wants a particular player, that they cant simply pay for that player up-front, ie in one payment, instead of installments over many years. This would have no adverse effect on cash-flow and would ensure that you only bought what you could actually afford and that when you bought you actually owned. My other point was regarding clarity of ownership of football clubs. Now I think that the football authorities need to be pushed by all football fans from every club on this issue, as they presently seem reluctant to challenge the status quo. The FA, Premier League and the Football League seem quite content that as long as the product is making money why rock the boat? Who really cares where the money comes from, or where its going? We are living proof that we should! Our particular trail of ownership is global and because it would be difficult to track, they're not going to bother. Now I do not profess to have all the answers, but I do feel that if we start a campaign regarding these issues we will at least be seen in a more possitive view by other football fans and more noteably by HMRC. Public opinion is very important. Finally, I would like to thank all of the Southampton fans who were willing to put their hands in their pockets for our club benefit last weekend, you truely are credit to football and selflessness. Thanks
mark_in_pompey
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 12:33 PMAll this and deep joy the first part of the cva is due in April anyone got any money to save our great club please step forward now
bluelagoon
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 12:20 PM25 pompeyfanfor60years (I am a Pompey fan for 50 years, so you trump me there) - I think you have got nearly everything topsy-turvy. Say none of us pays any tax any more. Would you say, good, because it would only have been thrown away on the NHS reforms? There wouldn't be any NHS operations for patients either, of course, but that doesn't seem to bother you. --- It wasn't the HMRC that made the (utterly crazy) NHS policy. HMRC collects taxes for policies the government makes, including the taxes to pay for things that are vital needs of us all. The companies that grabbed our Pompey and have "run" (misrun) our club in recent years have time and again failed to pay their debts. Now, again, to the taxman. That means, if they get away with it once more (as they did for 80% last time), it's you and I who have to pay more - from our hard-earned pensions. (While the well-known mercenaries, who are "football creditors", pocket their tens of thousands a week.) I cannot believe that any Pompey fan would actually stand up for such a company against HMRC.
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