The Centre Circle

Today the Premier League has ruled that Portsmouth can sell players outside the normal transfer window. I wholeheartedly disagree with this decision. Let me say straight up I have no axe to grind against Portsmouth and their fans. I think they are a smashing club and the support the fans give then is superb. I celebrated when Pompey won the FA Cup a few years ago. However the decision today is totally wrong. It sets a precedent to all other Premier league clubs who may get into a similar financial pickle in the future saying that if you get into huge debt, the rules can be bent so that you can survive. Ok, so Portsmouth are going down this season, and this is “special permission” but it could be argued that what is good for Portsmouth this year should be implemented another troubled club in another year. Take the hypothetical case of a mid-table club or top club getting into the same strife; they could maybe survive a 9 point deduction, stay in business because of such a ruling and then get bailed out the next year when another chunk of TV money rolls in.

By the way, I have never supported the transfer window system anyway. I think clubs should be allowed to buy & sell players whenever they wish, apart from the final two months of the season. The old system was so much better and clubs would not be held in such a financial straight jacket for much of the season. However we have what we have, so the clubs know the conditions at the start of the year and they should be held to them, no matter if they are on the brink of bankruptcy. That’s life. Tell this to little Chester City supporters whose club was wound up only a couple of weeks ago.  I doubt if they’d have much sympathy either…