- Apr 19, 2005
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The powerbrokers at the Premier League are desperate to avoid the south-coast outfit going bust, which would make them the first professional English League club to go out of existence since Maidstone United in 1992. Maidstone's demise as a Third Division club, just two days after the Premier League began, was not so problematic for the Football League, given that the Stones didn't even kick a ball that season. But Aldershot FC went out of business five months earlier, on March 25, just weeks before the end of the 1991-92 season.
Aldershot's entire record was expunged and the league was recalculated as a 22-team division, and this is what the Premier League must fear, as its rules state that the same would happen. The Premier League needs the season to be completed in full.
There would inevitably be winners and losers should Portsmouth's results be wiped out. Manchester United would have six points cut, and Chelsea three, meaning a four-point gap would re-open. Arsenal would lose six points and would surely be out of the title race. Liverpool would be the big winners in the battle for fourth, losing no points at all, as they were defeated at Fratton Park while Pompey have yet to visit Anfield. Tottenham and Aston Villa would lose three points, but Manchester City would see six points wiped out. Rafa Benitez's men would be firmly in pole.
The biggest losers at the foot of the table would be West Ham (four points) and Bolton Wanderers (three). Wigan, Wolves and Burnley would not lose a single point. It would cast Bolton adrift at the bottom and put West Ham only out of the drop zone on goal difference rather than with the four-point cushion they enjoy now.
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif] 13 Wigan Pld 25 Pts 25
14 Sunderland Pld 24 Pts 24
15 Wolves Pld 25 Pts 24
16 West Ham Pld 25 Pts 23
17 Hull Pld 26 Pts 23
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18 Burnley Pld 25 Pts 23
19 Bolton Pld 25 Pts 20 [/FONT][FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Times,serif]Premier League relegation picture with Portsmouth's record expunged[/FONT]
Expunging Pompey's record is the only fair solution. You cannot automatically award victories in the fixtures Portsmouth would have played. Assuming their opponents would win every game, when Portsmouth have hardly performed to Derby County standards, doesn't make sense. The teams that have lost to Portsmouth, like Wigan and Wolves, would be the ones aggrieved instead. And that's why the Premier League will do everything in its power to make sure Portsmouth complete their fixtures. West Ham are desperate to keep their four points. Co-owner David Gold said recently he would personally loan Portsmouth £10 million, but there is no way the Premier League will allow such a conflict of interest, designed to protect the Upton Park club through a cross-club loan.
From http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=746477&sec=england&root=england&cc=5739
Aldershot's entire record was expunged and the league was recalculated as a 22-team division, and this is what the Premier League must fear, as its rules state that the same would happen. The Premier League needs the season to be completed in full.
There would inevitably be winners and losers should Portsmouth's results be wiped out. Manchester United would have six points cut, and Chelsea three, meaning a four-point gap would re-open. Arsenal would lose six points and would surely be out of the title race. Liverpool would be the big winners in the battle for fourth, losing no points at all, as they were defeated at Fratton Park while Pompey have yet to visit Anfield. Tottenham and Aston Villa would lose three points, but Manchester City would see six points wiped out. Rafa Benitez's men would be firmly in pole.
The biggest losers at the foot of the table would be West Ham (four points) and Bolton Wanderers (three). Wigan, Wolves and Burnley would not lose a single point. It would cast Bolton adrift at the bottom and put West Ham only out of the drop zone on goal difference rather than with the four-point cushion they enjoy now.
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif] 13 Wigan Pld 25 Pts 25
14 Sunderland Pld 24 Pts 24
15 Wolves Pld 25 Pts 24
16 West Ham Pld 25 Pts 23
17 Hull Pld 26 Pts 23
-------------------------------------
18 Burnley Pld 25 Pts 23
19 Bolton Pld 25 Pts 20 [/FONT][FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Times,serif]Premier League relegation picture with Portsmouth's record expunged[/FONT]
Expunging Pompey's record is the only fair solution. You cannot automatically award victories in the fixtures Portsmouth would have played. Assuming their opponents would win every game, when Portsmouth have hardly performed to Derby County standards, doesn't make sense. The teams that have lost to Portsmouth, like Wigan and Wolves, would be the ones aggrieved instead. And that's why the Premier League will do everything in its power to make sure Portsmouth complete their fixtures. West Ham are desperate to keep their four points. Co-owner David Gold said recently he would personally loan Portsmouth £10 million, but there is no way the Premier League will allow such a conflict of interest, designed to protect the Upton Park club through a cross-club loan.
From http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=746477&sec=england&root=england&cc=5739