Portsmouth Football Club (PFC) is due to appear in the High Court this morning (10 February) in order to face a winding up order brought against the embattled club by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

According to the BBC, the Premier League club was unsuccessful in a last-ditch offer of a down payment to settle debts of £7m owed in unpaid tax and will now appear at London's Companies Court at 11.30am. PFC, which is hoping to secure an adjournment to the winding-up order in a bid to secure more time to pay HMRC, could become the first Premier League club to enter administration as a result of the hearing.

Following the club's 1-1 draw with Stoke City Football Club on 9 February, PFC manager Avram Grant said: "I ask the court to think not about the situation they see on the papers, football is not just papers." Meanwhile, Cardiff City Football Club (CCFC) of the Coca-Cola Championship is also due to appear at the High Court over a winding up order relating to a tax bill of £2.7m owed to HMRC.

The club is hoping to strike an agreement with the HMRC over the payment of monies owed, having been given permission by the local authority to sell land at its new stadium earlier this month.