For the second in this end of year round-up of posts, a few thoughts on the Portsmouth FC situation and the response of some of their support.
Pompey
Chimes Out of Tune
Portsmouth
FC fans ought to deserve some sympathy and, for a while, I have given it to
them. But over the course of the year they have started to grate with, rather
than ingratiate themselves to, some fellow football fans; me included.
What has
happened at Portsmouth could happen to any club. Over time, clubs have been set
back or destroyed by the unscrupulous actions of local businessmen or tainted
by much vaunted foreign owners. The continued failure of Fit & Proper rules
for ownership should be a constant source of embarrassment to the footballing
authorities and one can only hope that the financial fair play rules are more
adept at preventing the financial meltdown of clubs funded well beyond
self-sustainable means.
But as the
Portsmouth administration lingers on for the second time, I have grown tired of
the self-righteous bullshittery mouthed by certain supporters of the club. When
questions were raised about the high profile (for League One) short term
signings being made by the club at the start of the season; including a player
who, prior to signing for Pompey, couldn't negotiate a deal with a club with 18,000
crowds and a salary cap to meet, they couldn't see the problem. Detractors were
chided for knowing nothing about the financial state of the club and generally
being "clueless". True the administrator should not be running the
club so close to the financial precipice, but who really knows?
There was
nothing to stop Portsmouth signing professional players to pep up their squad
this season, but with many local businesses remaining unpaid or receiving
pennies in the pound, the irony of signing Championship and League One players
appeared lost on many. You can point the finger at previous owners, but the one
constant that remains, for now, is the football club and as one commenter on
this excellent post at The Two Unfortunates was quick to point out, the
administrator of the football club was sitting on a £6m bank balance.
Whether the amount
is a fact or not, the problem remains that yet again a football club hits financial
meltdown and leaves a trail of destruction for local businesses in its wake,
yet they still have funds to pay players' wages. To creditors offered 20p in
the £ in the first CVA (and never saw it) and potentially 2p in the £ now, that
£6m that Pompey have burning a hole in their bank account (and are using to
fund good League One players) must provide great succour as they struggle to
keep their business running and cut jobs.
Accusations
of jealousy abounded on social networks;
"You were only hoping for an easy
three points" - No we are looking for fairness in the way clubs are
treated and special cases not being made for others.
"We
have a right to sign players to be competitive; it's in the Football League
rules" - What rules are these then? The Football League rules state:
"Each
club shall play its full strength in all matches played under the auspices of The
League unless some satisfactory reasons are given."
That is the
strongest available side. If you can only sign League 2 standard players or use
your youth players that is tough.
"It's
just not fair on Portsmouth" - Who said football, and life for that
matter, is fair? If you are dealt a duff hand, then you just have to play it.
Cup finals and AC Milan at Fratton Park - shall we disregard those then, given
you, in effect, achieved them through financial doping?
"You
just don't understand, it is a lot more complicated than a simplistic
narrative" - I am sure it is, but the fact remains how certain fans
behave now they have got here is causing people to lose any compassion or
understanding they might have had for the circumstances.
I have even
heard the "big club" card being played by Pompey fans this year, the
joker in the pack that belies a multitude of sins. How are they measured as a
big club? Crowds of less than 20,000? An FA Cup in 2008? A Europa League
campaign? Two League titles over 60 years ago? The chiding of other club's fans
demonstrated an arrogance that saddened me. The use of "tin-pot" to
deride fans of other smaller clubs; the last desperate cry of fans who cannot
accept their club has found its rightful place, below where they perceive they
should be and they refuse to accept it.
Underlying
the questions being asked is a belief amongst supporters of other clubs that
Pompey are getting opportunities that were not afforded to clubs in similar
positions before. Smaller clubs have been to hell in a handcart for less.
Pompey's points deductions have been nowhere near those suffered by Luton Town
or South coast rivals AFC Bournemouth. To think there was talk of an appeal
against the ten point deduction when they eventually exit administration (again)
was some sort of sick joke.
The fact
that football remains the exception in terms of insolvencies, thanks to the ridiculous
football creditor rules, is one thing, but to see varying punishments being doled
out by the authorities following CVAs and administrations is quite another. Portsmouth
fans should be thankful that they haven't been treated any worse. Other clubs have.
Much
reference is made to the wonderful support of the South Coast club and whilst
the Pompey Trust deserve enormous credit for their efforts to salvage their
club, the tribal and aggressive rhetoric of a number of their supporters in
defending their club and its current undertakings, leaves me cold.
I don't wish
ill on Portsmouth FC, I really do hope they find a long-term solution to the
club's woes, but forgive me if I cock a deaf 'un to the sanctimony. If Kevin
McCabe ever properly pulled the plug on the Blades' funding, or sold out to a
miscreant businessman, I'd like to think I'd accept our situation and deal with
it with a greater deal of maturity and lesser degree of arrogance than that
demonstrated by some of the Portsmouth support in the last twelve months.
