Portsmouth FC have been acquired by a company controlled by Vladimir Antonov, a London-based Russian businessman. Convers Sports Initiatives owns a list of sports teams and franchises including the Spartak Moscow ice hockey team. It also has an interest in the Isle of Man TT motor cycle races.
Portsmouth FC have been acquired by a company controlled by Vladimir Antonov, a London-based Russian businessman. Convers Sports Initiatives owns a list of sports teams and franchises including the Spartak Moscow ice hockey team. It also has an interest in the Isle of Man TT motor cycle races.
Antonov is said to be worth £200m and is believed to have paid £17m for the club after many months of negotiations. What attracted him to it was its potential to return to the Premier League. It has been suggested that he was involved in a failed bid for Rangers last year. Indeed, Antonov has admitted that he looked at a range of clubs before settling on Pompey.
After a series of owners, Pompey fans will be hoping for more stability, although some question marks have been raised about Antonov, although he and his colleagues have satisfied the fit and proper persons test. However, the news has been welcomed by Pompey Supporters’ Trust who have urged the new owners to make signings in the next few weeks to resolve the player crisis at the club.