The shadow sports minister has questioned how former Portsmouth owner Vladimir Antonov was allowed to take over the club as the spectre of administration looms again for the south-coast side.
Clive Efford MP says warnings about the London-based Russian businessman's bank by the Financial Services Authority were not heeded and he was given the go-ahead by the Football League.
Efford, Labour's spokesman on sport, said: "If these concerns about Antonov were there on the FSA website then why were these not taken up by the football authorities?"
Antonov bought Pompey in June but his holding company Convers Sports Initiatives went into administration in November. Now the club itself is poised to go into administration on Friday for a second time in two years, triggering a 10-point deduction.
Efford told a Parliamentary debate on football governance last week that the problems at Portsmouth were an example of where things "are going horribly wrong in our game".
He added: "Mr Antonov's bank, Bankas Snoras applied in 2006 to operate banks in the UK, but was turned down by the Financial Services Authority. It was suggested that the bank had repeatedly given incomplete and inaccurate answers to the FSA. The FSA's website states: 'Bankas Snoras was likely to fail to deal with the FSA in an open and co-operative way.'
"Yet in 2011, Mr Antonov was allowed to take over Portsmouth football club. If the FSA had that degree of concern about the financial matters of this individual, it must have been written large for others to ask questions about his suitability to own one of our large football clubs.
"Such a case highlights our concerns that due diligence is not taking place and that there are not sufficient fit and proper person tests. Something should have alerted the Football League or the FA to that person's history, and they should have considered whether the purchase was in the best interests of the club or the game."
Efford said football's authorities needed to learn from what had happened.
The Football League defended their owners' and directors' test after Antonov stepped down in November. It was also pointed out that the Swedish government had given the London-based Russian businessman to invest in car manufacturer Saab, and that the FSA had raised questions about the bank but not him personally.
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We seem to be suffering from incompetance via the FA, Managers and similar officials who think personal wealth and fame is the be-all and end-all of everything, players who like to find new ways of cheating, and even refs who blow for a goal when the ball goes wide. Football is a bluudddy disgrace and gets worse by the minute. You can add stupidly intransigent jobsworths at the tax office (who take no notice of the important issues involved) and stare fixedly foward while the"World" falls apart around them.
And who catches the flak from all this? That's right its the poor bluuudddy in-FAN-try as usual.
Wake me up someone its a NIGHTMARE (isn't it??????).
...so Redknapp was 'earning up to £4m. per annum we hear at his trial...he bought players for vast amounts of money,becausr HE,and the owners wanted success..don't believe he did it for the best supporters in the country. I met him in Bournemouth whilst he was on his way to training,many years back...he spoke of winning trophies,but nothing about the 12th man,Pompey fans! Now the chickens (not the Golden Goose) have come home to roost...incidentally,and maybe illustrating something...Redknapp said he had to hurry..he'd parked on yellow lines..insignificanf really...however,he was disqualified from driving at the time! The best of times,and the worst of times...the opening lines of 'A Tale of Two Cities',written by Charles Dickens...BORN IN Feb.1812...IN PORTSMOUTH..Whilst the world celebrates a Pompey genius this month,we might witness the demise of another Portsmouyh institution...
I am tired and angry at writing on this subject. I have pointed out on many previous occasions that it is the League who carry out these worthless tests who are at fault. I do believe that the club were guilty to an extent in being profligate - I regret to say when Harry Redknapp was Manager but i do not know how much influence he had in the decisions to buy players and what they paid them.
Back to basics - The League carry out these tests. It is they who should suffer the ultimate penalty. I would suggest to them that they should discuss the matter and determine that the 10 point penalty should not be applied, even if they have to change the rules. If it means convening a meeting of the Clubs then so be it. Their attitude towards the Club is ridiculous.
HMRC are as bad. We all know that taxes should be paid but they are talking about a minimal amount compared to Rangers for instance. It seems to me that they are sore about not winning last time.
Pompey's loyal fans are the ones who suffer, just as the Saints fans did, and Luton Town even more so.
COME ON FOOTBALL LEAGUE PULL YOUR FINGER OUT - if you are business men then act like them.
POMPEY EXILE.
again the fit and proper has failed pompey a 2nd time ,,and the fa and all in charge will just turn and look away and remove 10points ,,but vall these in the fa should be ashamed of whats happening to football and its not just pompey ,,maybe the fa is so corrupt back handers in pockets ,,maybe its about time the sorry to say the goverment really made a surge into football and the back hander deals ,,well my club pompey our now again in admiin ,whilst the fa turn the other cheek ,,,and look after the prem big boys ,,also foo9tball clubs should paye debts before players as this is another silly thing stupid contracts that cant be changed ,,this also is stealing from clubs ,as the fans paye hard earned money to watch below average players on 10k plus a week ,,i love pompey but am slowly changing about the now corrupt in all footballl ,players feeling sorry for themselves about not being paid for a month ,,well i get what yo get in a year what you get in 2 weeks ,,save some money like we have to if we can ,,start helping football thats given you a great life ,,maybe its time to give back instead of take take take ...pup
Does that mean the F.A. and the F. L. have brought the game into disrepute, through incometence / negligence? Are they NOT also responsible for this farce? I think they should be compensating the club for their involvement in the matter.
But what will happen NOTHING - except for the critasism - they will get away with it - AGAIN!
At last someone is pointing the finger in the right direction, meanwhile us fans take all the stick from every other club as if it was our fault. The Football League and the FA should be apologising to PFC fans for letting another bogus owner take over and should be held responsible in court. Incompetent twits the lot of them!
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