Former Leeds assistant manager Nigel Gibbs has become the Leeds United’s latest former employee to be awarded compensation for unlawful dismissal.

Gibbs was awarded £331,426 in damages by Mr Justice Langstaff at London's High Court today, having had to resort to legal action after finding it impossible to negotiate a reasonable settlement for compensation after he left the club.

The 50-year-old came to Leeds as Brian McDermott’s assistant in April 2013, with a contract worth £200,000 a year. His finest moment came as he was left in charge of the first team for the game when we trounced Huddersfield 5-1, as the players reacted furiously to Cellino’s farcical attempt to sack McDermott the night before.

And once Il Presidente had secured control properly, his relationship with Gibbs quickly turned sour after McDermott finally left the club in the summer of 2014. Gibbs promised to continue working for the club under the terms of his contract, but understandably he disagreed with the way new head coach Dave Hockaday was starting to run the team.

Gibbs found that he was not to be included in the pre-season tour to Italy, and when he Cellino what he should be doing during that period, the owner told him he “could do some cleaning work at the training ground”. And on July 23, he received an email which instructed him to have no further contact or involvement with the first-team squad.

He began working with the academy under Neil Redfearn, and in court told the judge it was 'quite obvious' that Cellino no longer wanted him at Leeds during this period. When Hockaday was sacked after only six games Cellino offered Gibbs the chance to take over as first team coach, but Gibbs declined this offer and resigned from the club soon after.

Judge Langstaff agreed with Gibbs's claim that he had been forced out of the club rather than choosing to walk away, as he concluded the case with a judgement in Gibb’s favour.

“There is nothing inherently unreasonable about his approach in refusing the offer made to him by Mr Cellino in August 2014. The way Leeds had acted towards him made it untenable for him to return, unless he wished to take the chance it would change its behaviour towards him. In my judgement he was not obliged to do so”.

Gibbs said in statement: “I am pleased that the Court found that I did not commit any breaches of my contravcy of employment, but saddened, both personally and for the supporters of the club (who I hold in the highest regards), that I was forced to proceed all the way through a two day High Court hearing in order for the Court to determine that I was wrongfully dismissed from my role at the club.”

The compensation awarded to Gibbs will be on top of the legal fees of both sides that the club will have to pay, and of course this all comes on top of the costs of the recent Lucy Ward case. And all because Cellino thinks he can treat his staff however he likes, seemingly thinking that UK employment law shouldn’t apply to him.

He claims to be bringing the club’s finances under control, but how much more money will be wasted on paying off disgruntled former employees before we are finally rid of this lunatic?

Photo: Action Images

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