By Jon Colman

Published at 12:05, Tuesday, 11 December 2012

Carlisle United’s fellow strugglers Portsmouth will plummet into the relegation zone with a 10-point deduction when fans take over the crisis club, the Football League have insisted.

And there is further strife for another of the Blues’ rivals with Bury having been hit by a transfer embargo.

The double blow for two of United’s opponents gives a further twist to the survival fight in League One.

Pompey are currently 20th, and a point above the drop zone, and would drop to second-bottom with a deduction.

The League confirmed yesterday that they had received details of the Pompey Supporters’ Trust (PST) proposed takeover, which it claimed has “significant merit”.

The authority’s board, which includes United managing director John Nixon, re-affirmed its decision to deduct the club of 10 points once the takeover goes through, along with a range of restrictions on playing budgets and future borrowing for the next four seasons.

They said that the takeover is now dependent on the outcome of High Court proceedings over the ownership of Fratton Park, and PST raising the remaining funding from supporters that is anticipated in its business plan.

Third-bottom Bury, meanwhile, are under a transfer embargo after receiving a temporary short-term loan from the PFA until the middle of January.

Among the issues damaging the cash-strapped Shakers’ finances are the late postponement of two home matches – including the visit of United in October which fell victim to a waterlogged pitch. The club have still had to pay policing costs for both games.

Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk