It was a less fraught than usual fortnight at Fratton Park. On the pitch, fortunes vastly improved with manager Paul Hart’s team winning 4-0 twice in four days.   But off the pitch, the intrigues continue, with more payroll problems at the end of October - the club needing another loan from another foreign businessman to meet short-term financial obligations – and the imposition of a transfer embargo by the Premier League.

And Pompey’s financially-complex past has come back to haunt them, with chief executive Peter Storrie charged with tax offences relating to a 2003 transfer deal.

One of the few summer signings Paul Hart could make, Ivory Coast forward Aruna Dindane, finally came good with a hat-trick in Pompey’s 4-0 thrashing of inconsistent Wigan.

It was a sign that, at last, Portsmouth’s luck was beginning to even itself out, although they remain bottom of the Premier League.

The Wigan win followed Carling Cup success over a shadow Stoke side, which sets up a quarter-final clash with Aston Villa at Fratton Park.

It is a winnable tie which could lead to a lucrative two-legged semi-final against what is likely to be one of the big five…or Tottenham.

New Pompey owner Ali Al-Faraj remains a figure of some mystery. He provided the finances to cover the club’s September payroll costs. But he was unable to repeat the trick in October.

Instead, the South Coast outfit were reliant on a £15m loan from Hong Kong businessman Balram Chainrai to pay players and staff, although “a changeover in banking systems under the new ownership” was blamed by the club for 60 non-playing staff receiving their salaries three days late.

The Premier League has imposed a transfer embargo on Pompey until they pay clubs and agents monies owed from transfer deals going back two years, some involving players who have since moved on from Portsmouth.

The League has also threatened to dock any outstanding monies from Portsmouth’s January TV rights payments.

Portsmouth have branded tax evasion charges against chief executive Peter Storrie “seriously flawed” and “a waste of taxpayer’s money,” after it was announced this week that he has been accused of concealing payments related to the August 2003 transfer of Amdy Faye from Auxerre for £1.5m.

Storrie claimed astonishment at the charges, saying that he was on honeymoon at the time. However, they relate to a two-year period from July 2003. Storrie is due to appear at the City of Westminster magistrates’ court on November 16^th.

Pompey face an important Premier League trip to fellow-strugglers Blackburn Rovers this Saturday.

Rovers have only lost once at home this season. But they have struggled to deal with the effects of swine flu, with a number of players and staff contracting the illness.

However, Paul Hart’s main concerns ahead of the trip are less medical. He told the Portsmouth News: “Can we catch it from them on Saturday? That’s the least of my worries at the moment.

“Trying to get some points from them is my biggest concern.”