Source: PA
Pompey forced into Lawrence rethink
Portsmouth are hoping to sign Liam Lawrence on an emergency loan from Stoke after a permanent deal between the two clubs collapsed.
Lawrence had been scheduled to join Pompey on a permanent transfer as part of the deadline day deal which saw Marc Wilson join the Potters with striker David Kitson heading in the opposite direction.
But the Football League today rejected the part of the deal involving the midfielder, claiming that the south coast side failed to submit the necessary paperwork before the 6pm deadline.
Portsmouth deny those claims but will now have to lodge a bid with the Football League to take the player on an emergency loan as the transfer window has now closed.
"We're disappointed that this transfer hasn't gone through," said Stoke chief executive Tony Scholes. "However, it is important that we work with Portsmouth, the player and the authorities to find an expedient solution as if it had gone through.
"The aim now is to ensure we arrive at the same point for both clubs and, most importantly, for the player who had made up his mind up to join Portsmouth. That will probably take the form of a loan move until the end of the year and then Liam would finalise his permanent move to Fratton Park in the January window."
