Chairman Pater Pannu: Birmingham City has no financial worries and will participate in the Europa League
The English Premier League side Birmingham City, have secured their birth for the 2011-12 season’s UEFA Europa League by defeating http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Arsenal-Maseru-c38430 in the final of the Caring Cup and have given their supporters a reason to smile after their disappointing Premier
League campaign.
Alex McLeish’s side are currently eighteenth in the League table and in the drop zone, which is one cause of concern for the club officials. But the club Chairman, Peter Pannu has stressed that the club has not been going through any financial crisis and
will be a part of the Europa League next season.
It was earlier revealed that the Blues are cash strapped and could not make a signing of some note in the January transfer window but the Chairman has confirmed that there is no such thing and the club has already filed the application in order to attain
the UEFA license and there is no reason which could deprive the club from taking part in the League.
"Birmingham City FC is in credit with their bankers and there is no financial impediment to its operations, we will have no problem securing Uefa licence approval [to play in Europe] for which the club had already filed the papers." Pannu told the club’s
official website.
There were some eyebrows raised at the statement by the Hong Kong Stock exchange which said that the club’s parent company, Birmingham International Holdings has debts of 29-million pounds which might be one hurdle in the club’s Europa League participation.
The Chairman though has continually denied any problems that could be faced by the club and wants the fans to get behind their team and help them come out of the relegation spot in the Premier League.
Peter Pannu insisted that Birmingham International Holdings is an entirely different entity and it doesn’t have to do anything with the club’s presence in the Europa League.
"It is important to note that Birmingham City is a separate corporate entity from BIHL [a listed company in Hong Kong], although a distant subsidiary, Birmingham City FC's accounts are separate and it operates on its own financial basis.” Chairman added.
These words from Chairman have certainly come at the right time for both, the players and the fans when their team is struggling to retain their place in England’s top flight football and this could act as a confidence booster.
Now, the club has all its focus on the Premier League and a win against another struggling side, Wigan Athletic in their next game on Saturday, the 19 of March, 2011 could get them up to the thirteenth spot, a safe position to be in for the Blues.
Pannu concluded by assuring the fans that they had nothing to worry about and Birmingham City would be in action in the 2011-12 Europa League.
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