May 30 2003

Danny Granville

DANNY GRANVILLE will be paid a five-figure fee by Manchester City after winning a Football League appeal hearing.

The left-back claimed City breached his contract by reducing his salary without entitlement after they were relegated from the Premiership.

A first hearing ruled in the club's favour but GRANVILLE took it to the Football League Appeals Committee with the backing of the Professional Footballers' Association and won.

Solicitor Gareth Dando, who was acting on GRANVILLE's behalf, said: "When Manchester City were relegated from the Premier League, the dispute was over whether the club were entitled to reduce DANNY's terms.

"A claim of breach of contract, backed by the PFA, was brought against Manchester City and resulted in an offer which was agreed by the club.

"The club then said the offer was a mistake and it was withdrawn.

"The League found that the club's acceptance of the offer was binding and should stand. My client has now been awarded a five-figure sum.

"It is crucial that contracts between players and clubs are properly drafted to avoid disputes like this one."

A City statement said: "We feel this is a satisfactory result all round.

"The Football League confirmed our interpretation of the player's contract but a tribunal ruled that DANNY was entitled to around half of what had been claimed on the basis of correspondence passing between the club and the player's solicitors."