21 Apr 2010Portsmouth to blame for debts, says Scudamore

Football Clubs News | Football Finance News

English Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore has claimed Portsmouth are at fault for the financial troubles which saw them docked nine points for entering administration earlier in the season.

Rejecting suggestions the league's much-vaunted wealth is shared unfairly between its 20 clubs, Scudamore pointed the finger firmly at the Fratton Park side and repeated earlier comments that it is simply "bad management" which landed them in their current predicament.

"You cannot link the distribution of income to Portsmouth's woes," he told BBC Radio 5 Live. "We're narrowing the gap between top and bottom all the time."

Scudamore went on to point out that each English Premier League team receives an equal slice of its TV revenue. He described it as "a great balancer" and compared the English approach with that of Spain, where sides negotiate individual deals.

Portsmouth administrator Andrew Andronikou revealed the true extent of the club's debts earlier this week, with arrears totalling £119 million.

Written by Terry Mitchell

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