Administrator hands hopefuls more time to save Pompey from oblivion

The two groups attempting to buy stricken Portsmouth have submitted their bids, with 
administrator Trevor Birch hopeful of concluding a sale in the near future.

Birch set a deadline of yesterday for former owner Balram Chainrai’s company Portpin and fans’ group the Pompey Supporters’ Trust to finalise their bids.

Birch says he is not yet in a position to complete the sale but has handed both parties more time to save the club. Portsmouth have been in 
administration since February and will go bust if a takeover is not completed.

Birch said: “Both Portpin and the Pompey Supporters’ Trust (PST) are continuing to work with the Football League, which must agree that they can take ownership of Portsmouth Football Club, and the Professional Footballers’ 
Association, which represents the players owed money by the club. However, neither party is in a position to complete an acquisition of the club at the moment.

Birch made no mention of a proposed third bid from a 
Middle East consortium involving another former 
Fratton Park owner, Sulaiman Al Fahim.