Portsmouth delay date with destiny

PORTSMOUTH claimed to have received two “serious” offers to buy the club during a hearing at the High Court when they were granted extra time to fight a winding-up petition from Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs yesterday.

The Barclays Premier League’s bottom club were given seven days to produce a statement of affairs to HMRC to detail their exact financial position, with the matter being heard before a judge at the first available date after February 19.

Nigel Hood, representing Pompey, had asked for more than the week granted by Mrs Registrar Derrett but the time gives them breathing space in attempting to find a fifth owner of their turbulent season.