Lawrence absence sparks loan defender search

44
THE SENTINEL Tuesday January 20, 2009
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Vale warn of ‘financial difficulties’ if forced to pay off ex-boss
CREDIT CRUNCH
P
ORT Vale chairman Bill
Bratt has warned that
paying off sacked manager Lee Sinnott with a lump
sum could push the club into
“financial difficulties”.
Sinnott today confirmed he
is taking High Court proceedings against the club for
breach of contract.
Vale are believed to owe him
around £90,000 following his
dismissal last September, but
have been paying their former
manager some compensation
in instalments.
However, Sinnott has vehemently denied the club’s claim
that they have honoured the
compensation clause in his
contract.
He says he has rejected a
settlement offer from Vale
which is less than agreed in
his contract. That puts him on
course for a court battle with
the cash-strapped club.
Bratt said: “With the credit
crunch and money being taken
out of the club through various
avenues, if we were to pay the
lump sum it would be another
body blow.
“It wouldn’t put us into
administration, but it would
cause financial difficulties.”
However, Sinnott’s solicitors have also denied Bratt’s
claims that the club has tried
hard to resolve the matter with
its former boss.
Paul Daniels, of solicitors
Russell Jones and Walker,
said: “Lee’s contract was
unlawfully terminated by the
club on September 22, 2008,
without notice.
“In the contract signed
when Lee became manager, it
was agreed that if he was dismissed by the club, a fixed sum
would be paid to him within 28
days of dismissal in settlement
of his claims. That sum was
less than the balance of monies
due to the end of his contract.
“The club has now reneged
on that clear agreement and
has offered Lee only a fraction
of the sum agreed. He rejected
that offer on our clear advice.
“We gave the club a timeframe until Friday to resolve
this matter and they did not
even bother to reply.
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PORT VALE
by Michael Baggaley
and Steven Shaw
“It is untrue to suggest that
the club has taken all steps to
try to resolve this matter.
“Since Lee’s departure from
Port Vale he has not been contacted by any board member of
the club and, as stated, they
did not even reply to our last
letter.
“Lee now has no choice but
to proceed, with some regret,
with legal proceedings in the
High Court against the club
for the fixed sum due. He will
succeed in those proceedings.”
Sinnott, who became manager of non-league side Bradford Park Avenue last week,
says he never turned down the
option of being paid in instalments and is disappointed to
have to take the club to court.
He said: “Since my departure I have kept a dignified
silence on this matter and
have not aired my views about
what the club has been doing.
“I am very disappointed the
club has now issued a misleading statement, which I feel
obliged to correct.
“I am particularly upset by
the suggestion I am somehow
being “greedy” to ask for payment of the sum we all agreed I
would be paid if asked to
leave.
“That is a grossly unfair
suggestion. I have also never
rejected being paid this partly
in instalments.
“I would like to also thank
all Port Vale fans who supported me, not only in my time
as manager, but also in the last
four months.
“My 10 months at Port Vale
were at times a challenge, but I
am confident I am a better
manager for the experience.
“I wish all Port Vale supporters very best wishes and
good fortune in the future.”
STOKE CITY
by Martin Spinks
STOKE manager Tony Pulis has
rubbished reports linking winger Liam
Lawrence with a shock move to Derby
County.
Lawrence’s failure to break back into
Stoke’s starting line-up since
recovering from injury has fuelled
speculation about his future.
But Pulis today described reports that
Lawrence was on his way to Pride Park
as “absolute nonsense”.
He pointed to the fact that Lawrence is in
Dubai with the City squad for this week’s
warm-weather training camp as proof of
his future with the Potters.
Pulis also denied this week’s trip would
hamper efforts to bring in two or three
more new faces before the closure of the
transfer window at the end of the month.
He is adamant any transfer business will
not be delayed or missed by his being
3,500 miles away from home until Friday.
“The search for new players goes on this
week, it stops for nothing,” he asserted.
“I’m on the end of a phone which the
relevant people have. There is only a fourhour time difference, so being out here
won’t have any detrimental effect on
business we are trying to do.
“It’s only like being away in Austria on preseason tour. Being in the mountains with
only a few goats for company has never
stopped me trying to wheel and deal, so
why should being in Dubai?”
He reported excellent food and facilities in
Dubai, but said: “The only disappointment
has been the weather – it’s been raining.”
Pulis wants to add experience and quality
to the centre of his defence and midfield,
while another striker remains on his agenda
following last week’s failure to add
Charlton’s Andy Gray to the January
captures of Matthew Etherington from West
Ham and James Beattie from Sheffield
United for an initial combined fee of £4m.
Meanwhile, defender Danny Higginbotham
eventually joined Saturday’s flight to Dubai
after Pulis initially said he would remain at
home for treatment on a calf injury.
■ STOKE midfielder Glenn Whelan is in line
for his eighth cap after being included in
the Republic of Ireland’s squad for their
World Cup qualifier against Georgia in
Dublin on Wednesday, February 11.
■ A YOUTHFUL Stoke reserve team line-up
will play host to Arsenal’s second string at
the Britannia Stadium tomorrow (7pm).
■ City trip ideal: Lou Macari – Page 43
STOKE ONLINE
VALE ONLINE
■ Should Vale just pay off
Sinnott? Have your say at
www.thewonderofyou.co.uk or
www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk
Lawrence
not for sale,
insists City
boss Pulis
SIGN OF THE TIMES: Gareth Owen says he is looking forward to helping manager Dean Glover
revive the club after joining the Valiants from Stockport County. See Page 42 Photo: CLARE JENNINGS
■ Should Stoke cash in on Liam? Have
your say online at www.whydelilah.co.uk
or go to www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk
Lawrence absence sparks loan defender search
CREWE are scouring the loan market
for a centre-half as they prepare to
lose Dennis Lawrence to a spell of
international duty.
The on-loan defender is a doubt for
Saturday’s trip to Northampton after
sustaining an Achilles tendon injury
during the weekend victory over
Scunthorpe.
But the 34-year-old will also miss
Crewe’s trip to MK Dons on February
7 and their re-arranged home clash
CREWE ALEXANDRA
by Gwyn Griffiths
with Bristol Rovers on February 10
while he links up with Trinidad and
Tobago for a vital World Cup qualifier
in El Salvador on Wednesday,
February 11.
Lawrence has been a mainstay in
the Crewe back four during their last
seven games, playing his part in a
run which has seen them collect 10
points from a potential 15 and move
nearer to League One safety.
Fellow central defenders Julien
Baudet and Chris McCready are
back in training after injury, but Alex
boss Gudjon Thordarson, mindful of
Lawrence’s absence, is looking for
reinforcements.
“Dennis is on international duty next
month so that is certainly an area
the manager is looking at,” said
Crewe assistant manager Neil Baker.
“Dennis has done well for us since
he came back into the side, but he
will be a doubt for the weekend.”
Baker takes a strong second-string
to the Deva Stadium tonight (7pm)
where Crewe will be bidding to seal
a place in the Cheshire Premier Cup
final with victory over Chester.
Danny Woodards will make a return
from the hamstring injury which has
kept him out since Boxing Day, while
there should also be run-outs for
Calvin Zola, Tom Pope and Joel
Grant.
Meanwhile, Steve Schumacher and
Kenny Lunt have joined McCready in
making a return to training.
ALEX ONLINE
■ Has Lawrence been a good
signing? Have your say online at
www.superalex.co.uk or go to
www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk