HMRC in talks over plight of Portsmouth FC

HMRC

Officials from Portsmouth are reported to have been involved in last minutes talks with the taxman to avoid a winding-up order due to hit the courts today.

According to the Independent the club will today contest the sum owed to HM Revenue & Customs, said to be £7.5m. Hearings have already been postponed once.

Commentators suggest the likely outcome is for the club to go into administration, though it remains unknown which firm would receive the appointment.

Portsmouth would become the first Premiership side to go into administration and, under Football Association rules, would be docked nine points.

The FA is described in some reports as sanguine over Portsmoth's plight having already concluded some time ago that the club's finances were unstable.

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