I've been approached by 12 bidders, says Portsmouth administrator

The Premier League will not consider any special measures to help Portsmouth until the "shadow" cast over the club's tumble into administration is removed by the high court. The administrator, Andrew Andronikou, who yesterday revealed he had heard from 12 parties interested in buying the club, had been due to address a meeting of all 20 clubs and hoped to win their support for an appeal to the Premier League board to allow the club to sell players and loan them back until the end of the season in a bid to ease cashflow issues. Andronikou, appointed by the club's latest owner Balram Chainrai last month as the club struggled with debts he has estimated at £78m, had also suggested he planned to argue against a mandatory nine-point deduction. But the Premier League has decided that nothing will be considered until the high court rules on concerns raised by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, owed up to £18m by Portsmouth, over the process by which they were placed in administration. The case is not due to return to court until the week after next. On Monday, Mr Justice Norris said: "A shadow has been cast over the existing appointment of the administrators and it is clear that shadow should be removed as quickly and cheaply as possible." Andronikou has said that the issues are purely "procedural" and will not have a bearing on the ongoing sale process. Chainrai has promised to fund the club in administration. The administrator said yesterday he had received 12 expressions of interest and had already met two parties who had shown him proof of funds. He said he had sent them away and asked them to bring him even more "transparent proof". "There is no timescale. We are not rushing. We want to do it properly. We need a measured approach," Andronikou added. "It's about putting the club in the hands of someone who is going to look after it and make sure it's in a good position in three, six, nine months' time."