Kevin Keegan case costs Ashley dear again

Oct 22 2009 by Mark Douglas, The Journal

NEWCASTLE United have been ordered to pay Kevin Keegan’s legal bill for his tribunal claim for constructive dismissal in another humiliating defeat for Mike Ashley.

Keegan was awarded £2million by a tribunal last month after claiming the club had effectively forced him out by signing midfielder Ignacio Gonzalez without his consent.

The tribunal rejected Newcastle’s claims they should not be liable for Keegan’s costs because they had offered to settle the case before the hearing earlier this month.

No figure was given, but it is believed that costs could stretch to £1.5million. In a statement, the tribunal panel said the club had made "entirely unfounded allegations" against Keegan.

"We direct the club should pay all of Mr Keegan’s costs," the statement read.

"Moreover, we reject the club’s attempt to rely on the various offers which it made both prior to and during the hearing to settle the claim, since none of them involved the club’s acceptance he had been constructively dismissed and all of them involved a condition of secrecy or confidentiality.

"We direct the club should pay Mr Keegan’s costs on an indemnity basis given the manner in which it conducted this litigation. Its defence on the primary liability issue was, in our view, wholly without merit and it chose to make entirely unfounded allegations against Mr Keegan."