Portsmouth could come out of administration in six weeks

Premier League Portsmouth could come out of administration in six to eight weeks, administrator Andrew Andronikou said yesterday after a High Court winding up order was suspended.

The troubled club was back in the High Court to address revenues and customs concerns about the process in which it entered administration last month - a move that prevented it folding up under a mountain of debt.

"The hearing occurred and the administration continues as normal," Andronikou said.

"The cloud has been lifted. We had to go to court as a reference point but the administration has now been rubber-stamped."

Andronikou, who last week announced 85 redundancies at the club which is bottom of the Premier League, said the winding up order would be removed once the club came out of administration.

"I think that will be in six to eight weeks," Andronikou said, adding that on Monday he had met Cheshire-based millionaire Rob Lloyd who is heading a consortium interested in buying Portsmouth.

"I met him and set out a few ground rules and we have agreed a way forward," Andronikou said.

"There are still some boxes for him to tick."

HM Revenue and Customs' formal acceptance of Portsmouth's administration means the club is almost certain to be docked nine points under Premier League rules.