Dowie hit with massive legal costs bill

Updated 13.43 Fri Jun 22 2007
Keywords: Iain Dowie, Simon Jordan, Crystal Palace, football, sport, Coventry City

Former Crystal Palace manager Iain Dowie has been landed with a massive legal costs bill following his disastrous courtroom defeat at the hands of chairman Simon Jordan.

A High Court judge ruled last week that Dowie had deceived Jordan into waiving a £1 million compensation clause in his employment contract just days before he succeeded Alan Curbishley at south London rivals Charlton Athletic.

Mr Justice Tugendhat has directed Dowie to pay £150,000 "on account" within 42 days. He is also facing the prospect of having to pay a similar amount to his own legal team

And the 42-year-old, who is now manager of Coventry City, has been ordered by Mr Justice Tugendhat to pay Palace's legal bill, which could be as much as £400,000.

The costs order was made on an "indemnity" basis - the highest scale of court costs - which means that the Championship club's lawyers' bill will not be reduced to any great extent when it is formally scrutinised.

Mr Justice Tugendhat has directed Dowie to pay £150,000 "on account" within 42 days. He is also facing the prospect of having to pay a similar amount to his own legal team.

And the question of how much compensation Dowie will have to pay Palace for his "deceit" has yet to be decided.

His counsel, Michael McParland, said he would challenge the judgment and costs order made against him, the effect of which was "cataclysmic" for himself, his family and his career as a manager.

The judge has refused Dowie permission to appeal. It was for the Court of Appeal to decide whether he should have leave to challenge the rulings, he said.

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