Portsmouth's latest High Court case has been adjourned for two weeks to give the club time to produce evidence of payments made by their latest owner Balram Chainrai.

The English Premier League club went into voluntary administration last Friday but the Government's Revenue and Customs department (HRMC) challenged that move in court yesterday.

Frustrated that they come low down the pecking order of creditors at a club with almost £80 million of debts, HRMC demanded more information and wanted confirmation the appointment of the administrators was valid.

"The question we ask, and supporters and members of the public ask, is how is it possible that this once-great club has become insolvent with liabilities exceeding assets by a figure of £65 million?" Gregory Mitchell, representing HMRC, told High Court judge Mr Justice Norris.

He said HMRC wanted to know how a "succession of owners of the club have allowed such enormous debts to accrue".

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