Blues will look to sell more players
Friday 29th July 2011, 10:58AM BST.
Birmingham’s acting chairman Peter Pannu has confirmed Blues will have to offload players on Premier League wages – but dismissed fears of a cash crisis.
Blues have been the subject of reports claiming they could face the prospect of going into administration.
Pannu himself claimed on Tuesday that “unpopular decisions” will have to be made when he returns from the Far East in the middle of next week and talks with leading shareholder Carson Yeung.
But it became clear this related to the offloading of some of last season’s players rather than any imminent fears of the club facing financial meltdown.
Now the acting chairman has acted to calm fears of supporters over the club’s financial position, with Yeung’s assets frozen in Hong Kong after he was charged with money laundering.
Pannu said: “I wish to make it clear that, while the benefactor’s legal wrangles do pose some problems, we have sufficient contingency plans to cater for the temporary difficulties thrown at us.
“Our bankershave been very supportive and we currently still stand in a positive credit balance with them.”
Blues have already sold Roger Johnson, Craig Gardner and Barry Ferguson from last season’s first team, while a host of players out of contract and loan signings have also departed.
Goalkeeper Ben Foster is also poised to join Albion on loan, with a view to a permanent signing.
To read our stories in full, log in to the premium 24 website.
Latest Blog — Four games to shape Villa’s season
Villa return to action after a week off, travelling up to face bottom of the table Wigan Athletic. Aston Villa blogger Matthew Turvey asks what is needed to salvage Villa’s season to date, and looks at how the next four games will be critical for Alex McLeish’s men.
Aston Villa FC
Business Awards
Book a Business Awards table
Join our celebrations of the region's best in business on Thursday March 22 - book your table now
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Express & Star and Shropshire Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
entertainment
All the film reviews
Before you plan a trip to the pictures, get our critics' verdicts on all the latest movie releases
OUR NEW APP
Get the new E&S app
Download the Express & Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.

No crisis??….pull the other one Pannu,we’ve just engaged in a whole sale decimation of our
squad and its going to get worse but theres no crisis???…..its like mugging somebody and then tapping them on the head and saying it’ll be ok.
Stop with your lies,its pitiful. You’ve lost the backing of the fans and your days at St Andrews are well and truely numbered!!.
KRO
Report abuse
Besides Yeung’s problems, this is what happens when you sign players on PL wages and do not insert a clause for reducing such wages if you go down.
Bad planning Blues, so you had it coming!
Report abuse
FOOTBALL FAN
The reduction of wages makeS the players want to leave the club anyway so it makes no difference! Carling cup winners now when will any midlands side say that again? Europa cup! we love it really! KRO!
Report abuse
I do feel for all Blues fans it would never be nice to see your club ripped apart. I just hope Haughton can wheel and deal and get in some players to push to get you back up.
Report abuse