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Palace chief wins damages claim Palace chief wins £1m court case
(about 1 hour later)
Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan has won a £1m damages claim against the club's former manager Iain Dowie.Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan has won a £1m damages claim against the club's former manager Iain Dowie.
Mr Jordan alleged Mr Dowie lied when he negotiated his way out of his contract with the club and joined arch-rivals Charlton on 22 May 2006. Mr Justice Tugendhat ruled Mr Dowie lied when he negotiated his way out of his contract with the club and joined arch-rivals Charlton on 22 May 2006.
Mr Dowie's contract stated that if he left to join another club, Crystal Palace would receive £1m.Mr Dowie's contract stated that if he left to join another club, Crystal Palace would receive £1m.
"It's a good day for football. A judgement has been found in favour of contracts," Mr Jordan told BBC News. The question of whether the club is still owed £1m or another amount will be decided at a later court hearing.
'Hard slog' The club said it would still claim £1m on the basis that it lost the chance of compensation because of Mr Dowie's lies.
I am naturally disappointed that the judge has ruled against me Iain Dowieformer Crystal Palace boss
"It's a good day for football. A judgement has been found in favour of contracts," Mr Jordan told the BBC News website.
"The allegations made were not put forward in as dignified a manner as I would have wanted but I'm delighted that they were proven."The allegations made were not put forward in as dignified a manner as I would have wanted but I'm delighted that they were proven.
"It's been a long hard slog.""It's been a long hard slog."
Mr Jordan said the clause that Palace would receive £1m if Mr Dowie left to join another club had been waived out of goodwill because the manage had said he wanted to be closer to his family in Bolton. Mr Jordan said he waived the £1m clause in a compromise agreement out of goodwill because Mr Dowie said he wanted to be closer to his family in Bolton.
'Without merit'
Mr Justice Tugendhat, at the London High Court, ruled Mr Dowie was freed from his contract on the basis of "fraudulent representations".Mr Justice Tugendhat, at the London High Court, ruled Mr Dowie was freed from his contract on the basis of "fraudulent representations".
When he left Palace, Mr Dowie had told the club he had not contacted Charlton and had no present intention of joining them, the court heard. When he left Palace, Mr Dowie had told the club he had not contacted Charlton and had no present intention of joining them, the court heard. Mr Dowie, who is now managing Coventry City, had told the court in a statement that the case was "without merit".
Mr Dowie, who is now managing Coventry City, told the court in a statement that the case was "without merit". However, the judge refused to quash the compromise agreement and resurrect the £1m compensation clause.
He had said despite winning promotion to the Premiership for the club in 2004, Mr Jordan had "repeatedly suggested" he should resign. Mr Dowie said he was pleased the judge had rejected Palace's request to have the compromise agreement annulled.
He added that the club made a "clean break" and avoided paying him contractual entitlements as a result of the waiver. "I am naturally disappointed that the judge has ruled against me on the other issues raised in this first phase of the case," he said.
The level of damages and any costs will be decided at a further court hearing.