Portsmouth’s Major Creditor Says He Will Not Let The Club Go Under

Balram Chainrai, Portsmouth’s major creditor, says he will not let the club go under, although how exactly that is going to be accomplished is unclear. Pompey administraor Trevor Birch confirmed that he has spoken with Chainrai and the Hong King businessman confirmed that he will be the club’s caretaker in the interim as they try to keep the club from being liquidated.

“I have had initial discussions with Chainrai,” said Birch. “It is my duty to explore all possible avenues to try to save the club as a going concern.”

In an interview on Sunday, Chainrai made just about every promise he could to ensure that the club will not go under.

“I am taking over as caretaker, because if I don’t the club will be liquidated,” Chainrai said. “I’d prefer someone else to come in to keep it going because I am quite upset to see it in the state it is in now.”

Birch and Chainrai are clearly working to keep the club from being liquidated, but Chainrai is only one of the club’s creditors. Even if Chainrai is being cooperative in trying to keep the club together and he is the biggest creditor with £17 million owed to him, there are other creditors who are owed money.

Local musician Brian Howe from the 1970’s band Bad Company is working on putting together a group to save the club, although it is far from being completed. Howe failed in an attempt to but the club in 1999.

“I do believe there is a way of making this work and I am looking for it,” Howe told BBC Radio Solent. “I am looking for people to help. If there is anyone out there who wants to chip in and contribute and form part of a team to do this then move quickly please and get in touch with me”

Howe did stress the urgency needed to get the deal done as desperation sets in at Fratton Park. The club has already been threatened with not being able to finish the season and while that possibility seems to have been eliminated, whether there will be a Portsmout next season remains unclear.

”This can be done but it needs to be done quickly. How went on to say. “I am as desperate as any other fan to try and bring this to fruition. I am not giving up, it belongs to me and 18,000 other people.”