Hearts in crisis: Jambos can trust BDO administrator after he helped save us, insists Portsmouth supporters' chief

20 Jun 2013 08:24

Euan McLean

TREVOR Birch of BDO is one of the men tasked with saving the Tynecastle club - and he has good form having played a key role in the fans' takeover at previously crisis-torn Pompey.
Football administrator Trevor Birch Football administrator Trevor Birch
PA

HEARTS fans fearing for the future may take some comfort from administrator Trevor Birch’s past.

It’s fitting that yesterday of all days saw the financial troubleshooter walk into Tynecastle for his first look at the club he is now charged with the heavy burden of saving.

For exactly two months to the day, Birch handed over the keys to Portsmouth’s Fratton Park to leaders of the fans group he helped to take over the club they loved in its darkest hour.

Next day he was cheered on to the pitch by an adoring home crowd in recognition of his key role in wrestling the club from the clutches of owner Balram Chainrai.

Now the Foundation of Hearts must hope Birch can show the same resolve and know-how to help them negotiate the muddy financial waters of a buy-out.

It wasn’t an easy road for Birch during the 14-month admin process, especially with Chainrai striving to reclaim control of Pompey for a third time and the war of words becoming increasingly dirty.

Yet Birch stood firm and Supporters Trust member Colin Farmery said: “It’s fair to say Trevor Birch will never have to buy his own drink in Portsmouth again. There is a great deal of goodwill in this town towards him for the job he did.

“Hearts fans should be reassured by his appointment as administrator. He has football credentials, both as a player and an administrator.

“And he is a fair-minded man who stood up for the club in an extremely
complicated situation.

“Trevor had to go out on a limb for what he believed was best for the creditors and the club, despite a number of conflicting outside pressures.

“In the early stages he was sceptical whether we could deliver but once he was convinced that our community bid was serious, he worked hard to support us.

“He will bring the knowledge he gained at Portsmouth and his experience of helping to deliver the biggest community ownership bid in Britain.

“Hopefully that experience will benefit the Foundation of Hearts as they try to put together their own bid for fan ownership.”

Specialising in insolvency, Birch became chief executive of Chelsea in 2002 when the club had a debt burden of around £80million. He played a key role in putting together the £140m Roman Abramovich takeover in 2003 that wiped out most of the club’s debts.

Birch, believing his work was done, then decided to resign. In October 2003, he was appointed chief executive of Leeds United, another club with high debts, and was briefly chairman.

He helped the club avoid administration, and oversaw another takeover before moving on to Everton in June 2004 to become their chief executive.

He has since held chief executive roles at Derby and Sheffield United before joining BDO.

The fact he is working in partnership with Bryan Jackson is another boost for Hearts, according to their former manager Jim Jefferies.

His current role in charge of another administration-hit club Dunfermline has put Jeff in close contact with Jackson. The Pars boss said: “When I’ve worked with Bryan he has been good.

“I have spoken a lot to Gary Locke recently and I told him exactly what to expect. He will find Bryan very professional in what he does.”

Taken from the Daily Record