Financial problems hit Championship rivals

Last updated : 01 December 2011 By Covsupport News Service/RD

Coventry City's next opponents Portsmouth face the spectre of another points deduction after their parent company went into administration.

The Sky Blues travel to Fratton Park on Saturday desperate for points as they continue their battle for Championship survival, but Pompey insist that the financial plight is with their parent company and not the club, so they shouldn't be penalised with a ten point deduction.

Despite the claims from Portsmouth, the situation they now find themselves in is similar to the one to which they were in two years ago when their previous parent company  went into administration and the club were deducted points.

A ten point penalty would put Portsmouth, currently on 20 points, 3 points under Coventry City, who are currently on a pathetic 13 points and effectively move City up one place in the Championship league table.

Bristol City are also in deep financial trouble and need to find ways to save money. Bristol have recently revealed losses amounting to £11.4 million, but are not in any immediate danger of sanctions like Portsmouth, although they are actively seeking a reduction in their running costs.

Bristol are currently just three places above Coventry in the table and with the possibility of  losing key players in the January transfer window as a way of reducing their wage bill and generating funds from transfer fees, their plight could worsen considerably.

However Andy Thorn knows he cannot rely on the misfortune of Pompey and The Robins to assure Championship survival, indeed he would not want to benefit from such misfortunes, but he is confident he will find a way to steer his beleaguered side to safety. 
 
Coventry City did the double over Portsmouth last season and hopes are high in the Sky Blue camp of a repeat of last season's 3-0 win at Fratton Park.
 
Thorn said to the CT: “There is a belief and commitment to finish a lot higher up the table than we have done in recent years and contrary to whether we are going to be up against it like we have been, we are going to do it.
 
“The players believe it, I believe it and we’re working our socks off on the training pitch to make sure it comes and I am sure we’ll get there.  We are so determined to get out of this.

“We have all got belief in each other that we will start picking wins up and we can’t wait for Saturday. It would be lovely to go there and get a result.