Pompey shutdown looms over wage dispute
Reuters - Wednesday 25 July 2012, 05:00
The administrator of crisis-hit English
side Portsmouth has said the club will be shut down on August 10
unless all senior players on the books accept compromise wage
deals or agree to transfers before that date.
The British media reported on Wednesday that Trevor Birch
revealed he would have "no option" but to liquidate the League
One club by that deadline if agreement was not
reached with the seven remaining senior players.
Both interested purchasers - former owner Balram Chainrai
and the Portsmouth Supporters' Trust - have stipulated that
their attempts to complete a takeover were dependent upon
settlements being reached with those high earners.
"The facts are straightforward: under the terms of the offer
for the club, the players have to leave and conclude compromise
settlements," joint administrator Birch told reporters.
"This condition has been imposed by the Pompey Supporters'
Trust as well as by [Chainrai's company] Portpin. Both
interested parties have made it clear that they won't take on
the club unless there is movement from the players.
"We will continue to do all we can to facilitate these deals
but the club's future hinges on the willingness of certain
players to sign up to compromise agreements that are affordable
both in terms of the amount and timing of repayments.
"Unless we make significant progress on this front by August
10, then we are likely to have no option other than to close the
club."
The deadline comes four days before a Capital One Cup tie
against Plymouth and eight before Pompey are due to start their
League One campaign at home to Bournemouth.
Birch has implemented a 5,000 pounds-a-week salary
cap in an attempt to prolong the club's existence in the short
term but long-term progress would require high earners to accept
a compromise on the remainder of their deals.
Striker Kanu, who is in Nigeria, has lodged a claim for
three million pounds in back pay and defender Tal Ben Haim
claimed this week that he was due a similar amount in salary
arrears, bonuses and the remainder of his contract.
The other players - David Norris, Greg Halford, Dave
Kitson, Erik Huseklepp and Liam Lawrence - are all in talks
aimed at reaching an agreement or smoothing their transfers
away.
Portsmouth, who won the 2008 FA Cup, were deducted 10 points
when they returned to administration last season and were duly
relegated to League One, where they will begin with a further
10-point penalty.