Earlier this morning two comments made by Peter Pannu were posted on the blog and then republished, unedited and without comment as a full article. Following legal advice, I have prepared this statement on those comments.

As editor and sole author of the Often Partisan blog, I believe that I have a responsibility to be impartial and that everyone has a right to reply; hence when I received the comments from Peter Pannu this morning I ensured they were republished in full as an article so that they would get the wider audience they deserved – without editing, comment or criticism from me.

I find it incredible that someone who is Managing Director, Chief Executive Officer and an Executive Director of a main board listed company in Hong Kong as well as Acting Chairman and Director of a Championship Football club would openly post comments that not only were contradictory to an announcement made by the listed company to the stock exchange the previous day, but also have implications with respect to inside information. In this light, I have passed these comments to the Securities and Futures Commission along with the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong for their consideration.

I further find it astonishing that there is the implication that Carson Yeung has an input into the sale process of the club despite having a disqualifying condition from being able to assert any control of the club (contrary to appendix 3 of the Football League Rules and Regulations) and accordingly I have forwarded these comments to the Football League for their consideration.

Having consulted with my legal team here in the United Kingdom and in Hong Kong, I am happy that both the Often Partisan website and the book “Haircuts and League Cups” have no legal claim to answer from Mr Pannu and am prepared for any action he might choose to take; furthermore I am taking legal advice with respect to a counter claim with respect to the potentially libelous comments made by Mr Pannu.

The bar I offered to meet Mr Pannu in – Delaney’s Wan Chai – was Hong Kong’s first Irish bar and therefore I’m quite surprised that Mr Pannu would confuse it with a “shit hole pub in wan chai girly bar” [sic]. Had I known he had a preference for an upmarket “girly bar” I’d have clearly made different plans.

No further comment will be made at this time and comments on this piece will be suspended.