Ben Collett is currently a student at Leeds University with a long term ambition of becoming a journalist. Yesterday, the Court of Appeal upheld his £4.7m damages award obtained against Middlesboro Football Club and one of their players, Gary Smith, last August. As Middlesboro were relegated last season, in the absence of insurance cover, this judgement will no doubt add to their forthcoming financial woes. Continue reading £4.7 million for a broken leg?
Month: June 2009
Club v Player power
Newcastle United’s relegation into the Championship did not come as a surprise to many observers of football even if it may have been unexpected within the higher echelons of that Club. Why else would the management not insist on relegation wage-cut clauses in player contracts? Many of Toon’s players reportedly earn more than £50,000 a week and their combined wages of £74.6m make a healthy contribution to the Premier League’s £1.2 billion wage bill last season.[1] Continue reading Club v Player power
Fiduciary Law in the murky world of the football agent
On 9th February 2008, Kelvin Jack – a Trinidad & Tobago national team goalkeeper with 31 international appearances – suffered a “freak training ground accident”[1] whilst on trial with Barnsley Football Club. He sustained a serious broken leg. Jack is presently without a club, but personal injury litigation does not appear to be imminent. Just over a year later, Jack finally received some good financial news at least when the Court of Appeal handed down it’s judgement in Imageview Management Limited v Jack.[2] Continue reading Fiduciary Law in the murky world of the football agent
The cost of Policing football
The tenuous link between Matuzalem and this blog entry is Dave Whelan, the current chairman of Wigan Athletic FC. Whelan is no stranger to litigation or calls for proper governance of the professional game. His team was intimately connected with the Webster ruling[1] – the direct progenitor of Matuzalem; and his has been a strong voice in support of Sheffield United’s grievances and claims against West Ham in the continuing Carlos Tevez saga. Continue reading The cost of Policing football