Portsmouth chief cannot rule out Fratton Park redundancies amid football's financial struggles

Mark Catlin cannot rule out Fratton Park redundancies as football struggles to cope financially following the coronavirus crisis.
Pompey chief executive Mark Catlin admits the club are battling to avoid redundancies. Picture: Joe PeplerPompey chief executive Mark Catlin admits the club are battling to avoid redundancies. Picture: Joe Pepler
Pompey chief executive Mark Catlin admits the club are battling to avoid redundancies. Picture: Joe Pepler

Now condemned to another season in League One, the Blues have yet to be handed a definitive date for when the new season will begin.

In the meantime, with match-day revenues absent and games behind closed doors, clubs have barely any income.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Many Pompey staff are presently furloughed, in common with other businesses across the country.

However, the Blues’ chief executive admits that, despite the club’s determination to retain employees, redundancy remains a threat.

Catlin told The News: ‘We will fight to the bitter end to ensure redundancies are not the case, but I am not a Mystic Meg in regards of how long this is going to go on for.

‘It’s not a promise you can give open-ended, but it’s not something that, at this moment, we want to entertain.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

‘We will be doing everything in our power to make sure we come through this as intact as possible.

‘We continue to be in a great position, but, like every other business, the longer this continues without your fanbase being allowed in and generating revenue, the more it will affect us.

‘You cannot promise no redundancies, I don’t think any business can promise that.

‘Who knows how this is going to pan out in the coming weeks? Second spikes, third spikes, the general economy, there are so many variables.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

‘For anyone who stands there and says they aren’t going to be making redundancies - well, that’s a difficult call to make.’

Pompey’s players and some members of coaching staff had been furloughed before football was given the June go-ahead to resume.

They have since returned for a League One play-off bid which ended with defeat on Monday night at Oxford United.

Regardless, football without match-day income continues to have a devastating impact on the Blues.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Catlin added: ‘The strength of Pompey through this has been having the support of committed and dedicated owners and the way we run the club.

‘However, the disadvantage we have is normally our strength.

‘Our gate receipts and commercial income make up a huge part of our total turnover. The business is obviously structured accordingly in regards of the amount of staff we have, the facilities, and the way we run the club.

‘Without that income it has an adverse effect on us.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

Thank you for reading this story. The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on our advertisers and thus our revenues.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The News is more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription to support our journalism. You can subscribe here for unlimited access to Portsmouth news and information online.

Every subscription helps us continue providing trusted, local journalism and campaign on your behalf for our city.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.