Joe Royle awarded sacking damages

Mr Royle now manages Ipswich Town

Football manager Joe Royle has been awarded £422,000 in damages after he launched a compensation claim against his former club, Manchester City.

Royle sued the club when he received only a fraction of the pay-off he was due after being sacked in May 2001.

A hearing, earlier this year, was told Mr Royle, 55, was sacked by the club days after losing the final league match against Chelsea in May.

The Premiership team were due to be relegated to Division One.

A part of the Mr Royle's contract dictated he would receive, in addition to his £300,000 annual salary, an extra £400,000 bonus if City were in the Premiership when he left.

'Unwarranted allegations'

Because the club had played all their matches, City bosses refused to pay him the cash believing the season had ended.

But Tuesday's judgment at Manchester County Court, found that although relegation was inevitable, the season was not deemed to be over.

Several play-off matches were due to take place and administration matters to be completed, the court heard.

Following the ruling, a statement issued on his behalf said: "Joe Royle is naturally delighted at the result of this case but is sorry that it had to be brought at all.

The result is very disappointing Manchester City Football Club

"Joe is sorry for City's fans that the Board did not see fit to comply with their contractual obligations, or to settle this case without the need for a trial and the attempt to embarrass Joe by making scandalous and unwarranted allegations."

A Manchester City spokesman said: "The result is very disappointing.

"The judgment is contrary to the firm advice we received from our QC and leading experts.

"It does not recognise the common understanding of when a club is relegated and we believe produces an unfair result whereby Mr Royle has received extra reward for failure."

The club, who must also pay court costs, added they planned to launch an appeal against the ruling at the High Court in London.