Sulaiman Al Fahim has today confirmed that his investment group have completed the takeover of Portsmouth Football Club after what seems like an eternity since he was installed as chairman of the club having passed the Football league’s fit and proper person test.
Only last week club chief executive Peter Storrie, obviously concerned that there was no end in sight in the ongoing drama announced that he would set up a consortium himself to buy the club.
It is welcome news for Pompey fans who were elated that Al Fahim was keen to invest in the club, given his role in the Manchester City takeover. As the summer has gone on however fans have seen the departure of top players Glenn Johnson and Peter Crouch sold to balance the books and the chances of investment looking very slim indeed.
Having lost their first three Premier league games of the season Portsmouth can do with some decent news and manager Paul Hart will be champing at the bit, not just to replace Crouch and Johnson, but to hang on to players like Sylvain Distin who has been the subject of enquiries from Aston Villa and Everton.
Although there will not be the pot of gold that Manchester City have enjoyed from their Middle East investors, the takeover will give some much needed stability to the south coast club and hopefully get them the new football stadium that they have been promised for so long.
A statement issued by Portsmouth FC says;
“The chairman of the club would like to extend his gratitude to the players, staff and the supporters of Portsmouth FC who have shown an extraordinary level of commitment and loyalty to this great club.”
Striker Tommy Smith looks set to join from Watford for a fee of £2million, while progress is being made in Pompey’s pursuance of Ivory Coast striker Aruna Dindane from French club Lens.
3 comments so far
1 wllmhll // Aug 26, 2009 at 10:08 pm
its about bloody time too. one second its on and the next its off. and now they have less than a week to strengthen an already contender for the drop of a team.
2 Phil D // Aug 28, 2009 at 9:23 am
No disrespect to Smithhy but it does not bode well that the first playert we spend money on comes from a championship club!!
Is that where we see ourselves next season?
3 Patrick Moonrose // Aug 30, 2009 at 11:05 am
That´s nice but we all know who out of these Arab football clubs is the better:)) Ade? Ade? Are you there? Show ‘em what u’ve got!