Pompey talks continue

Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie was unable to find a swift solution in his attempts to halt a winding-up petition against the club, as talks with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs continued into Tuesday evening.

Storrie was locked in discussions at Fratton Park with representatives from HMRC over paying a portion of the money Pompey owe and coming to an agreement before the matter goes before the High Court on Wednesday morning.

Negotiating a deal would prevent Pompey going into the administration or facing a winding-up order and would buy them time as Storrie looks to find the club a fifth owner of its turbulent season.

"I already have more than one interested party and am hopeful that we can finally find owners who have the best interests of everyone at the club at heart in order to move us forward," wrote Storrie in his program notes ahead of the Barclays Premier League clash against Sunderland.

Balram Chainrai took charge last week when Ali Al Faraj defaulted payments on a loan, but the businessman is not interested in owning the club in the long term.

"He has made it quite clear that he does not want to remain the owner," added Storrie.

Former Pompey boss Harry Redknapp is among those who hope the Premier League's bottom club finds a suitable owner.

He said: "Let's hope they can find someone else. I think they have a potential owner they are talking to. It needs someone to invest in the club, stabilise the club and get it back on its feet."

"They've been through it before, a couple of years before I came when the gates were locked and Milan Mandaric saved them that time."