3:51pm Thursday 11th March 2010
PORTSMOUTH will no longer face a winding up order after the HMRC dropped their challenge to the club's administration.
Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs today dropped its legal challenge against the validity of Pompey being put into administration by owner Balram Chainrai, it has been reported.
They were due in court on Monday, for a hearing which could have seen the club wiped from existence.
A spokesman for the club said: "The Revenue has accepted the administration is valid."
Portsmouth now face a nine-point deduction from the Barclays Premier League for entering into administration.
Even before the nine-point deduction, Portsmouth are firmly rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table and look certainties for relegation to the Football League Championship.
The nine-point deduction will leave them 14 points from safety, with just 10 games left to play.
HMRC's decision to drop their case comes the day after the administrator slashed 85 Fratton Park jobs.
Some members of manager Avram Grant's backroom staff were included in the cull, although none of them were high-profile.
But Pompey administrator Andrew Andronikou has promised fans that no players will be moved on ahead of the FA Cup semi-final.
Players cannot be made redundant due to protection afforded to them by the Professional Footballers' Association.
But the cancellation of loan agreements to save on wages is a consideration, with Pompey having six temporary signings on their books.
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