Crisis club Portsmouth have been docked nine points by the Premier League for going into administration last month.
It means the bottom-placed side are now 17 points from safety with nine games left, making relegation almost certain.

With debts of about £65m, Pompey became the first Premier League club in history to enter administration.

Manager Avram Grant said last month: "Football should be decided on the pitch not in the courts, not in the Premier League offices."

The announcement came a day after HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) formally dropped its challenge over the validity of the club's move into administration.

In a statement, the Premier League said: "Following the High Court's decision that Portsmouth FC's administration is valid the Premier League board convened to apply the League's rules and policies in relation to a member club suffering an event of insolvency.

"As a result Portsmouth FC has been deducted nine points with immediate effect. As part of this process the board met with the administrator to agree how we will work together for the remainder of the season to ensure that the club is able fulfil its commitments."

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif Premier League rules dictate that clubs entering administration are automatically deducted nine points - a point less than in the Football League as there are fewer clubs in the division - and means Grant's side are now firmly rooted to the foot of the table, 14 points behind Burnley and Hull, in 18th and 19th spot.

However, the club's administrator Andrew Andronikou has previously said that the penalty could be challenged, saying: "Yes, it is a Premier League rule but that rule has never been tested, and that's what I will do."

The league's board also met with Andronikou "to agree how we will work together for the remainder of the season to ensure that the club is able fulfill its commitments."

A drop to the Championship for the south-coast side looks extremely likely, although they can look forward to an FA Cup semi-final clash with Fulham or Tottenham in April.

Grant added last month that his sympathies lay with the Pompey supporters and that they should not be the ones to suffer for the club's financial problems.

"The fans should not be victims in this scenario," the Israeli said. "Of course, we should not be docked nine points. All my life I have been fighting for justice and in the interests of fair play, we need football to be decided on the field.

"Maybe someone, somewhere, will think about the fans, who have done nothing wrong."

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif< BR clear=all> Portsmouth have also been told they will not be able to compete in Europe next season, even if they win the FA Cup, having beaten Birmingham to make the last four.

Andronikou was appointed on 26 February with the aim of cutting costs and finding a buyer for the Hampshire team, currently owned by Hong Kong businessman Balram Chainrai who took control in early February.

The club, who opted to go into administration ahead of a scheduled winding up order from HMRC, announced last week they had axed 85 jobs, although no players have so far been forced to leave.

The administrator has stated that there are "five substantial interested parties" keen to buy the club, confirming that he has met Cheshire millionaire Rob Lloyd, who is leading a consortium interested in buying the club.

Andronikou revealed after the points deduction was announced on Wednesday, that the investors behind a takeover bid headed by Lloyd would need to reveal their identities and proof of funds to him and the Premier League if they wanted to proceed.

"There will have to be more clarity about his backers before the middle of next week," Andronikou said. "It is part of a bundle of information I need to see. We need the whole picture."

Threat to vandalise home of Blackburn Rovers player
11:12am Tuesday 16th March 2010

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BLACKBURN Rovers star David Dunn has been warned of a plot to vandalise his home by painting it claret and blue.

It is understood that Burnley fans had planned to target his East Lancashire home.

The midfielder has been warned of the apparent threat by police and his club has also been informed.

Dunn was told at the training ground last week that his home could be targeted in the run-up to the much-anticipated derby match at Turf Moor on March 28.

In the first match in October Rovers won 3-2 with Dunn scoring a goal.

Police said that there would be a huge operation on the day of the upcoming derby match to ensure that there was no trouble.

Chief Inspector Jeff Brown said that any trouble on the day would be treated ‘very fairly and very firmly’.

He added: “There will be a great atmosphere on the day and our job is to ensure that it passes without incident.”

Source: LET

Harry Redknapp began to implement his plans for next season last night when Tottenham Hotspur agreed a deal to sign Sandro for £9 million.

The Brazil defensive midfield player will not arrive until the end of summer, after he has played for Internacional in the Copa Libertadores in August.

Internacional, who own 70 per cent of the player’s rights, had turned down approaches from Tottenham in the past two transfer windows, but the North London club have made a more concerted effort in recent weeks to strike a deal with Vitório Piffero, the Internacional president.

“It was a possibility since last year and now it is at the point of materialising,” Piffero said. “We are concluding contracts, but, as they are not signed, we have to wait.”


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• Redknapp wants Parker to provide depth

Sandro, who was 21 yesterday, captained Brazil Under-20 to victory in the South American Youth Championship in Venezuela last year and has since won a senior cap as a substitute in a World Cup qualifying match against Chile in September. He would need to receive special dispensation to play in the Barclays Premier League because he would not automatically be eligible for a work permit.

As part of the deal, Internacional will send youth players to Tottenham, who will provide marketing and management help to the Brazilian club.

The transfer will bring to an end Redknapp’s search for a combative midfield player to partner Wilson Palacios in certain matches. Redknapp has complained about a shortage of central midfield players this season.

Tom Huddlestone, the favoured choice alongside Palacios, signed a new contract yesterday that will keep him at White Hart Lane until 2015.

Sir Alex Ferguson has amazingly suggested that Cristiano Ronaldo could be tempted back to Manchester United in the future.

The Portuguese superstar left Old Trafford last summer in a world record £80million deal.

But with Real Madrid bowing out of the UEFA Champions Leaguehttp://static.lingospot.com/ spot/image/spacer.gif this week, Fergusonhttp://static.lingospot. com/spot/image/spacer.gif says that life at the Santiago Bernabeu is perhaps not as good as some would suggest.

"I don't think Real Madrid is an easy club to play for - there is a circus attached to it," said Ferguson.

"He knows the value of Manchester United,http://static.lingospot.com/ spot/image/spacer.gif and Ruud van Nistelrooyhttp://static.lingospot. com/spot/image/spacer.gif has said the same because what they have here is protection.

"They come to training every day at Carrington and there is no one here but the players and the coaching staff.

"At Real Madrid and some of the big Italian clubs there are 2,000 people watching training.

"The media film the training sessions every day. It is completely private here at United and we don't allow that exposure of our players.

"You'd like to think Ronaldohttp://static.lingospot. com/spot/image/spacer.gif would want to come back here but you never know.

"I don't think he will stay at Real Madrid all his life - there are other challenges for him."

And Ferguson admits that he is very much still in touch with Ronaldo, something he rarely does when selling a player.

"I still have a great bond with Cristiano - he's a good guy,'' admitted the Scottish tactitian

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp admits winger Aaron Lennon is "quite a way off" being fit with the start of the World Cup less than three months away.

Lennon suffered an setback last month, having already been sidelined for two months with groin muscle tears.

Asked on BBC Radio 5 live's Sportsweek programme if Lennon was a World Cup doubt, Redknapp said "I hope not.

"I hope he's going to be okay. I hope he'll play for us before the end of the season. He's desperate to get fit."

Redknapp, whose side have made light of Lennon's recent absence by going fourth in the Premier League table, added: "It must be frustrating for Aaron, we just can't get him right.

He's had a few goes and broken down. He's been back to the specialist. We're taking our time again, building up his strength in the groin area.

"He works every day with the physios and hopefully he will be working back outside shortly but he's not ready to join the group again. He's quite a way off.

"He could suddenly see a bit of light and come back and if he does then he could be ready [for the World Cup]. Four or five weeks, we'll have to wait and see."

England coach Fabio Capello is already contemplating the possibility of travelling to South Africa without first-choice left-back Ashley Cole, who is recovering from a broken ankle.

Source: BBC Football

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres has questioned the club's ambition and says he is thinking about his future.

The Reds forward has been part of a side that has had a disappointing campaign so far - Monday's defeat at Wigan dented their chances of a top-four Premier League finish and a 1-0 reverse to Lille in the Europa League on Thursday leaves them with a tough task of progressing into the next round.

Many have speculated that Liverpool's key players could leave Anfield if they do not qualify for next season's UEFA Champions League,http://static.lingospot.com/ spot/image/spacer.gif but Torreshttp://static.lingospot. com/spot/image/spacer.gif has played down such reports.

However, the 25-year-old, who has scored 13 league goals in 18 appearances so far this term, says that Rafa Benitez needs to bring in more quality players to bolster the squad.

"It's too soon to talk, I honestly think that we're going to be fourth, but for me Champions League qualification isn't so important," he told Spanish newspaper AS.

"The really important thing is that the club makes a big effort and brings in important players, who will improve the quality of the squad.

"We need four or five top-class players to compete, better than we have here, who will make us grit our teeth and do everything we can to try and keep our places.

"Without reinforcements next year we will once again be fighting to be fourth.

"I want to fight next year to win the Premier League, to win the Champions League or the Europa League, but for this there have to be signings."

Torres moved to Liverpool in 2007 from Atletico Madrid,http://static.lingospot.com/ spot/image/spacer.gif and has proved a huge success on Merseyside with a phenomenal goals-to-games ratio.


Future
He insists that he is happy at the club but, although he says he wants to stay, 'El Nino' admits he is considering his future.

He added: "There are so many circumstances and so many things that you have to take into account that it is too soon to talk about that. But I have this and three more years of my contract.

"I've left my home and it's clear that I owe Liverpool many things, and I'm very happy here.

"The fans have treated my like one of their own, but I'm going to think about my future and hopefully it will be here. I think these fans deserve to win.

"Beyond thinking about me, I think the club deserve to get back to winning (trophies), but they know themselves that right now that it's far off.

"The fans are worried about players going, it's a problem when you start to fear that your players are going because you know it's because the club is not moving forward, but I don't think that is going to be the situation here.

"Since the arrival of (managing director) Christian Purslow,http://static.lingospot. com/spot/image/spacer.gif Liverpool have had an important boost, we signed with a big-money sponsor to match Real Madrid, then things are going to go forward."

Hull boss Phil Brown has apologised for an apparent altercation between team-mates Jimmy Bullard and Nicky Barmby.

The pair were reportedly involved in a fracas by the Humber Bridge on the day after Sunday's 5-1 defeat at Everton.

The row was apparently witnessed by a large party from the Women's Institute and Brown said: "I'd like to apologise to them, the incident was unsavoury.

"I'm not condoning that kind of behaviour but it's an emotive game, it's a passionate game."

Hull are currently one place off the bottom in the Premier League having lost their last three matches.

Barmby and Bullard had to be separated by other Hull players during the supposedly light training session and the whole saga was witnessed by around 50 startled onlookers from the WI.

Brown insists the row has been dealt with internally and added: "It happens on the training ground on a regular basis, under the control of the club, but it seems to have got out this time.

"The players have settled their differences now, it was back to normal on Tuesday and they are getting on with the job in hand which is obviously the challenge of 10 games in the Premier League.

"Emotions do run high and certainly then the pressure is cranked up as we are coming to the business end of the season.

"It's a sign that they care. Nick Barmby has obviously got himself involved with Jimmy Bullard. They are big players where we are concerned and I'm looking forward to the response of the group and of the two players in question."

Bullard, 31, who missed almost one-and-a-half years after suffering a cruciate knee ligament injury playing for Fulham in 2006, has only recently returned to the Hull side following a a knee injury in December.

Barmby, 36, joined his hometown club in 2004 and agreed a one-year extension last summer.

Brown said: "We'll get on with it and deal with it. At the end of the day it has made headlines, because outside of the confines of the training ground we weren't expecting it to be swept under the carpet. We're big boys, we stand by our behaviour and have shaken hands and will get on with it.

"There are no fractures within the squad. This squad is united."

Source: BBC Football

Peter Storrie has stepped down as chief executive of Portsmouth but will stay on in a consultancy role.

Storrie has been a prominent public figure for Pompey this season, as he attempted to steady their sinking ship.

He was expected to remain in his executive post until the financially-crippled club had found a new buyer.

However, he has decided to step down from the role and will now undertake consultancy duties for the club's FA Cup semi-final against Fulham or Tottenham.


Support
Pompey administrator Andrew Andronikou has confirmed that Storrie has handed in his resignation, but has thanked him for the hard work he has put in at Fratton Park during a difficult time.

"After talks with his family and friends, Peter Storrie decided it is in the best interests of the club for him to leave his full-time employment," read a statement released on the club's official website.

"The administrators would like to thank Mr Storrie for his undivided assistance and support over the past few weeks.

"Mr Storrie has pledged to continue to assist the club and the administrators on a range of matters, including the sale of the club, the FA Cup semi-final arrangements and other projects and will be remunerated accordingly."