Portsmouth Fc 'likely To Close Down'

[OnionTerror]

All fair game, if everyone here wants to sit around and slag off Pompey, based on some (understandable, I guess,) envy of a few of the more greedy clubs and players.

Bit of a shame, though, for the dozens of kids from age 10 up, who are currently fighting for their dream of playing on the big stage, through the Pompey Foundation and Academy programmes. Kids who pitch up every week, without fail, to train with some very talented young coaches, who are paid very average wages to turn out and help some promising boys along the road of their dreams.

None of them is ar$ed about massive riches - they just want a chance to play the game they love at a higher level, and Portsmouth in particular have been investing a lot of time and energy in the grass-roots game across Hampshire.

Still, you lot have your fun here in cyber-land. Back in the real world, I've got to tell my eldest lad tomorrow morning that it looks like his Academy dreams are in tatters.

No doubt you'll all be delighted when he and all the other lads are back on a street corner somewhere, nicking your wallet. I'll be sure to tell my lad to make it a fat one, from someone who looks like they rent...

B

It is sad to see any football club fold, and the fans (and those who really care about the club) are always the ones that suffer in the end. It seems as if the powers that be tried to spent their way to success and boy, did they fail.

My club in League One has a minuscule budget, when you compare them to the likes of Sheffield Wednesday or Huddersfield, however, they are managing to hold their own. They originate from the non-league world, and for over a hundred years, we spent our time in obscurity. The club's owners are constantly trying to run the club in the black..its very difficult, but they more & or less doing it. So many clubs try to buy success, which mainly puts massive debts on to the club. I feel the 10 point deduction for going into administration, isn't harsh enough. A club can run up tens of millions of pounds of debt, and then get it wiped off quite easily. They gained all that advantage over the teams that try to run a tight ship. The Chester City situation was quite sad, as the club was being held to ransom by it's previous owner. Crawley Town is a ticking time-bomb. I've heard rumours that Robert Pires!! is interested in going there. Not sustainable, and it will all end up in tears.

I've seen it time & time again, where clubs try and spend their way to success, and spectacularly fail. When a new Portsmouth gets set up, at least it will be setup and run by the fans..They will be able to control it's future. That should be the aspiring model for every club out there...