Bryan Jackson’s key role at troubled Portsmouth FC

By Peter Ranscombe
Published on Saturday 18 February 2012 00:00

SCOTTISH accountant Bryan Jackson was last night handed the task of sorting out the finance position of Portsmouth football club after it fell into administration for the second time in as many years.

Jackson, a partner at PKF, handled the administration at Dundee during 2010 and 2011, having previously taken control during similar financial difficulties at Clyde, Clydebank and Motherwell.

He will be joined in his role as joint administrator at Portsmouth by Trevor Birch, the last player to be signed by legendary Scottish manager Bill Shankly at Liverpool.

After a playing career that includes spells with Chester City, Runcorn and Skelmersdale United, Birch trained as a chartered accountant and is now head of PKF’s corporate recovery and insolvency practice in London. Birch has held a number of restructuring roles at football clubs, including acting as chief executive at Derby County, Everton, Leeds United and, most recently, Sheffield United.

He stepped down from the firm in 2002 to become chief executive at Chelsea, where he brokered Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich’s £180 million takeover of the club.

Jackson said: “Everyone involved with Portsmouth has endured a turbulent past few years and our aim is to bring some much-needed stability to the situation. Quick fixes and wealthy benefactors are not necessarily the solution – the club needs a pragmatic owner with a sound business plan that can reinvigorate the club and bring confidence back to Fratton Park.”

Portsmouth’s administration rounded off a week during which Rangers also went bust.

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