Fresh twist in Pompey saga (From Daily Echo)

Fresh twist in Pompey saga

8:17am Thursday 13th December 2012 in Football League

The future of Portsmouth was clouded in uncertainty this morning as a potential dispute developed over who should manage their affairs while they are in administration.

The cash-strapped League One side are in the hands of PKF, headed up by Trevor Birch, and a High Court hearing was set for today where the administrators were hoping to secure the sale of the club's Fratton Park stadium to the Portsmouth Supporters' Trust (PST) from former owners Portpin.

But the Trust last night said the hearing had been adjourned, before another party, P&A Partnership, said that Portpin wanted them and not PKF to manage the club's finances until a buyer could be found.

P&A's Brendan Guilfoyle said Portpin were unhappy with some elements of how PKF had been dealing with things, but they were happy to fund the club through to the end of the season provided he was allowed to run their day-to-day affairs.

He also added that Portpin may be forced to shut down the 114-year-old club if they do not secure a change of administrator.

Guilfoyle said: ''If I am appointed, I am confident that we can find a buyer to secure the long-term future of this historic and important club.''

A statement from P&A added: ''However, Portpin have made funds available to enable the club to continue trading provided that Brendan Guilfoyle is appointed administrator to find a new buyer for the club.''

Portpin are led by former Portsmouth owner Balram Chainrai.

''The court papers show the club has become a lot more saleable in the last six months,'' Guilfoyle said of Portsmouth.

Guilfoyle said he believed PKF had asked for the High Court adjournment, and that Portpin wanted him to make sure that if the PST bid - described this week the Football League as carrying ''significant merit'' - failed, that other options could be sourced.

''Portpin don't feel the club has been fully marketed and they don't want it liquidated if it can't be sold to PST,'' Guilfoyle said.

''They will fund the continuation of the club until the end of the season as long as the court involve me and I can be given an opportunity to find a new buyer.

''My involvement if there is any, will be a matter for the court, to give the court another option as Portpin feel the options presented, either a sale to PST or closure, need broadening.

''If the court decided the sale to the supporters should go through, I wouldn't have any role.''

Guilfoyle added: ''The administrators are seeking the consent of the court for the sale of the stadium for £2.75million to PST. The reason they're doing that is because they've been unable to reach an agreement with Portpin.

''They (Portpin) feel the whole deal with PST is prejudicial to their interests and they're not happy with the administrators.

''Portpin are disturbed and are saying to the court, 'If you don't grant us the right to sell to PST we'll have no option but to liquidate the club'.''