Portsmouth are ordered back to court by HMRC

　　

　　

　　Portsmouth are the first Premier League club to go into administration

　　Portsmouth are to return to the High Court on Tuesday after Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs challenged the club going into voluntary administration.

　　"We're having to go to court to show that the debenture [debt agreement] is valid," said administrator Andrew Andronikou, the man running the club.

　　"We're not unduly worried and expect the administration to proceed."

　　Pompey's move into administration means HMRC is now ranked below their football-related creditors in priority.

　　Andronikou will also meet the Premier League on Tuesday to discuss Pompey's proposed nine-point penalty for entering administration.

　　The deduction would leave the Hampshire club on 10 points - 14 from safety and virtual certainties for relegation to the Championship.

　　On Thursday, Andronikou will attend a meeting of Premier League chairmen to explore whether clubs would consider allowing Portsmouth to sell players and then take them back on loan for the remainder of the season.

　　

　　There will also be a discussion of the possibility of television revenue being forwarded early to the club, who have had four owners this season and on Friday became the first Premier League club to enter administration.

　　A Pompey spokesman said: "We don't want to pre-empt anything or pre-judge what will happen, but hopefully the Premier League and our fellow Premier League clubs will be as sympathetic as possible to our situation.

　　"The Premier League have been incredibly understanding and [club owner] Balram Chainrai would like to place on record his gratitude to chief executive Richard Scudamore, chairman Sir David Richards, company secretary and head of football administration Jane Purdon, general secretary Mike Foster and director of finance and administration Javed Khan."

　　Meranwhile, Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw said Portsmouth's financial woes should act as a "wake-up call" to the sport's authorities.

　　The game's governing body had some "very tough questions" to answer about football finance, the MP told the House of Commons.

　　

　　He urged the Football Association to adopt the changes to the way the game is run that were recommended by Lord Burns in 2005.

　　And the minister said more clubs should follow the example of Exeter City in his constituency - a football club run by its fans.

　　"We do think that there remain some very tough questions for the football authorities to address, given the events at Portsmouth and elsewhere, issues around debt, around takeovers and strengthening the whole financial governance of football," he stated.