Pompey aim to push for early sale

Portsmouth have avoided the threat of liquidation and their administrators are now trying to push through the sale of the club.

Trevor Birch of administrators PKF had said all the club's senior players had to be off the payroll by Friday or he would have no option but to close Pompey down. Friday morning's announcement that midfielder Liam Lawrence had come to an agreement to leave Fratton Park, 24 hours after defender Tal Ben Haim did the same, means the club is safe.

Former owner Balram Chainrai's company Portpin are in pole position to take over at Fratton Park although fans' group the Pompey Supporters' Trust are also in the running after securing a £1.45million loan from the local council.

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