Amid Portsmouth’s turmoil-filled season, the FA Cup has provided regular relief for their players, fans, and, at least to a small extent, finances.

But preparations for Sunday afternoon’s Wembley showdown with Tottenham Hotspur, managed by erstwhile Pompey supremo Harry Redknapp, could have gone considerably better for the cash-strapped South Coast outfit.

Pompey are already without long-term absentees Hermann Hreidarsson and Danny Webber, both injured in the EPL at Tottenham last month.

 

On-loan Spurs midfielder Jamie O’Hara, widely regarded as Pompey’s best player this season, is unavailable because he is an on-loan Spurs midfielder.

Various injuries, including goalkeeper David James’ calf strain, have left manager Avram Grant unable to select a full quota of substitutes for recent fixtures.

And during last Saturday’s dismal goalless draw at home to Blackburn Rovers, in front of a season-low crowd of 16,207, Belgian midfielder Anthony Vanden Borre received his marching orders for two bookable offences, the second a wholly needless handball, and will be suspended.

Better news on the injury front was provided by the return to training this week of a septet of Pompey’s walking wounded, benefiting from the rehabilitative powers of a forthcoming Wembley trip.

As well as the afore-mentioned James, Steve Finnan, Hassan Yebda, Kevin Prince-Boateng, Papa Bouba Diop and Tommy Smith are all in varying forms of contention, albeit severely lacking in match practice.

Pompey will, however, benefit to the tune of £607,000 in prize money after the FA’s professional game board accepted the club’s application for the money, an application required by clubs in administration.

The draw with Rovers staved off Pompey’s relegation, though probably only for another week. Without their nine-point deduction for entering administration, they would be a point behind second-bottom Burnley and four behind Hull and West Ham United.

But if Hull or the Hammers win their weekend encounters, Portsmouth’s relegation fate will be sealed.

Progress of sorts is being made off-the-pitch. A “mystery UK-based investor” represented by “tycoon” (property or horse racing, depending on the day of the week), Rob Lloyd, began the process of “due diligence”, a trawl through the club’s financial records, on April 6^th.

Representatives of solicitors Cobbetts and accountants Baker Tilly were at Fratton Park to scrutinise the available data, which should provide a fascinating story. Lloyd, however, still refuses to reveal the identity of the investor he is representing. He said:

“It’s far too early. I can’t make my investor come out if he doesn’t want to. Let’s see what we’re trying to buy first of all.”

But joint-administrator Andrew Andronikou of accountants UHY Hacker Young has yet to undertake a promised investigation into Portsmouth’s recent financial history, begging the question as to how verifiable is the available data being scrutinised by the lawyers and accountants.

Meanwhile, former boss Redknapp told the Portsmouth News that Pompey’s financial woes were not his fault. He said: “Sure I spent money but Portsmouth have made a profit on almost 90% of those players.

“Without me they would have been skint a long time ago.”