Portsmouth lose nine points for entering administration

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Crisis club Portsmouth have been docked nine points by the Premier League for going into administration last month.

It means the bottom-placed side are now 17 points from safety with nine games left, making relegation almost certain.

With debts of about £65m, Pompey became the first Premier League club in history to enter administration.

Manager Avram Grant said last month: "Football should be decided on the pitch not in the courts, not in the Premier League offices."

The announcement came a day after HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) formally dropped its challenge over the validity of the club's move into administration.

In a statement, the Premier League said: "Following the High Court's decision that Portsmouth FC's administration is valid the Premier League board convened to apply the League's rules and policies in relation to a member club suffering an event of insolvency.

"As a result Portsmouth FC has been deducted nine points with immediate effect. As part of this process the board met with the administrator to agree how we will work together for the remainder of the season to ensure that the club is able fulfil its commitments."

Premier League rules dictate that clubs entering administration are automatically deducted nine points - a point less than in the Football League as there are fewer clubs in the division - and means Grant's side are now firmly rooted to the foot of the table, 14 points behind Burnley and Hull, in 18th and 19th spot.

However, the club's administrator Andrew Andronikou has previously said that the penalty could be challenged, saying: "Yes, it is a Premier League rule but that rule has never been tested, and that's what I will do."

The league's board also met with Andronikou "to agree how we will work together for the remainder of the season to ensure that the club is able fulfill its commitments."

A drop to the Championship for the south-coast side looks extremely likely, although they can look forward to an FA Cup semi-final clash with Fulham or Tottenham in April.

Grant added last month that his sympathies lay with the Pompey supporters and that they should not be the ones to suffer for the club's financial problems.

"The fans should not be victims in this scenario," the Israeli said. "Of course, we should not be docked nine points. All my life I have been fighting for justice and in the interests of fair play, we need football to be decided on the field.

"Maybe someone, somewhere, will think about the fans, who have done nothing wrong."

Portsmouth have also been told they will not be able to compete in Europe next season, even if they win the FA Cup, having beaten Birmingham to make the last four.

Andronikou was appointed on 26 February with the aim of cutting costs and finding a buyer for the Hampshire team.

The club, who opted to go into administration ahead of a scheduled winding up order from HMRC, announced last week they had axed 85 jobs, although no players have so far been forced to leave.

The administrator has stated that there are "five substantial interested parties" keen to buy the club, confirming that he has met Cheshire millionaire Rob Lloyd, who is leading a consortium interested in buying the club.

Andronikou revealed after the points deduction was announced on Wednesday, that the investors behind a takeover bid headed by Lloyd would need to reveal their identities and proof of funds to him and the Premier League if they wanted to proceed.

"There will have to be more clarity about his backers before the middle of next week," Andronikou said. "It is part of a bundle of information I need to see. We need the whole picture."