Sep 01

Football League to decide on Balram Chainrai’s takeover of Portsmouth

• Board will decide whether to give businessman green light
• Club lost Marc Wilson and Tommy Smith in late transfers

Balram Chainrai’s proposed takeover of Portsmouth could take a decisive step next week when a meeting of the Football League board will decide next Thursday whether to ratify the Hong Kong businessman again taking control of the club.

Chainrai was in charge of Portsmouth last season when it was forced into administration during a troubled 18 months, which featured four different owners and severe financial mismanagement, and ended in relegation from the Premier League.

The club exited administration after its creditors voted to agree a Company Voluntary Agreement that pays each of them 20p in the pound over five years, which amounts to around £16m.

If Chainrai does become the new owner he faces a challenge to maintain Portsmouth’s Championship status. An already skeletal squad lost Marc Wilson, the captain, and Tommy Smith during the transfer window before it shut yesterday, with Liam Lawrence and Dave Kitson joining Steve Cotterill’s team.

PortsmouthBusinessJamie Jacksonguardian.co.uk

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Aug 28

Portsmouth 0-2 Cardiff City | Championship match report

Jay Bothroyd fired Cardiff joint top of the Championship after Portsmouth were swept aside at Fratton Park with the visitors’ loan signing Craig Bellamy running the show. Bothroyd forced an own goal from Hayden Mullins before the interval and doubled the lead early in the second half thanks to more calamitous defending by the home side.

These two sides met in the FA Cup final just over two years ago but are heading in different directions these days. Pompey, who won that Wembley encounter, are still in administration and could name only four substitutes again. They now sit at the bottom of the division while Cardiff are dreaming of the Premier League.

The hosts made a bright start and Marc Wilson, in what is expected to be his last game for the club before a move to the top flight, drilled a 10th-minute free-kick which David Marshall did well to keep out.

Moments later the hosts got their first taste of Bellamy’s threat when he fed Chris Burke and then tore into the penalty area to meet the winger’s cross, only to fire narrowly wide. John Utaka, back in the Pompey attack after injury, also shot too high and Ibrahima Sonko headed over the crossbar.

But it was Cardiff who went ahead eight minutes before the break after Wilson lost possession in the middle of the park. Burke scampered clear to cross into the area and the ball found its way into the net off the shin of Mullins, who was under pressure from Bothroyd.

Marshall preserved City’s lead shortly before the break with a fine save from David Nugent’s drive, and Cardiff were gifted the second goal by another mix-up in the Pompey defence which left Bothroyd with an open net to score his sixth goal of the season in the 49th minute.

Cardiff were now cruising and they could afford to give Bellamy an early finish, taking off the Wales skipper with 12 minutes remaining.

ChampionshipPortsmouthCardiff Cityguardian.co.uk

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Aug 18

Kevin-Prince Boateng joins Milan after signing for two clubs in a day

• Portsmouth sell Boateng to Genoa, who loan him to Milan
• Milan will make move permanent for Ghana international

Kevin-Prince Boateng joined Genoa from Portsmouth today before immediately signing for Milan on loan.

The German-born midfielder, whose impressive displays helped Ghana reach the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup, will spend the season at Milan, who have already agreed a deal with their Serie A rivals to make the move permanent.

“Kevin-Prince Boateng is from today a Milan player, arriving on loan from Genoa, but with a buy-out clause in favour of Milan,” read a statement on the club’s website.

The 23-year-old has been training with Genoa in recent days. Earlier this month their owner Enrico Preziosi said: “Our club must have good relations with the big clubs. Boateng will be a Genoa player but will not play with us. We’ll see what club we can find an agreement with.”

The midfielder joined Portsmouth from Tottenham Hotspur in August 2009 and scored five goals in 27 appearances, including a penalty in their FA Cup semi-final victory over his former club.

His season ultimately ended in disappointment, however, as Portsmouth were relegated from the Premier League after suffering a nine-point deduction for entering administration.

Boateng also had a penalty saved in their 1-0 FA Cup final defeat by Chelsea.

MilanGenoaPortsmouthSerie ATransfer windowguardian.co.uk

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