It just keeps getting worse for Portsmouth as the Premier League has confirmed that the club will be hit with a 9 point “Administration” penalty, effective immediately.

Via Guardian

The deduction virtually guarantees relegation for Portsmouth, whose total drops to just 10 points, 14 behind second-from-bottom Hull.

The Premier League said in a statement: “Following the High Court’s decision that Portsmouth FC’s administration is valid the Premier League board convened today to apply the League’s rules and policies in relation to a member club suffering an event of insolvency.

“As a result Portsmouth FC has been deducted nine points with immediate effect. As part of this process the board met with the administrator to agree how we will work together for the remainder of the season to ensure that the club is able fulfil its commitments.”

The club’s administrator, Andrew Andronikou, meanwhile, says the investors behind a takeover bid headed by property developer Rob Lloyd will need to reveal their identities to him and the Premier League if they wish to proceed.

The administrator has also demanded proof that the consortium has sufficient funds available. “There will have to be more clarity about his backers before the middle of next week,” said Andronikou. “I have asked to know who the owners would be. It is part of a bundle of information I need to see. We need the whole picture.”