Thistle rage at Tannadice club

[ian1964 10,720]

PARTICK Thistle started off being due £105,000 in compensation for losing Jackie McNamara and Simon Donnelly to Dundee United.

 

Yet they could end up actually losing money through the acrimonious process of trying to get what they believe is rightfully their cash.

 

The Jags are taking a moral stand over the whole contentious issue.

 

And they won't budge despite what some people inside Firhill perceive to be bullying tactics from the Tannadice club and an attempt by their ex-boss to claim a bonus for winning promotion from the First Division to the SPL.

 

The fall-out from the departure of McNamara and Donnelly at the end of January has ended in a bitter three-way war.

 

But Thistle are in no mood to concede ground and have promised to fight on even if lawyers' bills outweigh any money they end up with.

 

"For us the whole process has been about openness, honesty, shaking hands, doing a deal and delivering that," said Thistle chairman David Beattie.

 

"That has changed and I personally feel sad and disappointed with both Dundee United and Jackie.

 

"This isn't about how much this is costing. This is about principle. This is about what we believe is right and wrong and what is happening is, we believe, wrong. We'll take it all the way.

 

"It's sad if people believe we're being naive. Business morality means an awful lot to our board. Our morals are more important than £80,000."

 

Beattie is seething about the whole complicated fiasco that began in January with a call from United chairman Stephen Thompson and ended, for the moment at least, when no money was forthcoming on deadline day earlier this week.

 

Beattie rapped: "We will be looking at all legal processes. We have had preliminary talks with the SFA and we can go to arbitration - I think that's their preferred route with football matters - but we will also be pursuing our legal rights as well."

 

Thistle's case is based on the £80,000 buy-out clause in McNamara's contract that was signed back in December with a further £25,000 one in Donnelly's deal.

 

Beattie first took a call from Thompson asking to speak to McNamara about the managerial post at Tannadice created by the departure of Peter Houston when, the Jags claim, the United supremo insisted compensation "was not a problem".

 

What followed was an initial McNamara pledge to remain at the then First Division club and then a variety of suggested payment plans from Tannadice that were rejected by Thistle, who wanted the full amount up front within a 90-day deadline.

 

Meanwhile, McNamara and Donnelly resigned.

 

After that it was knockabout stuff as the clubs - United appeared to have taken over McNamara's responsibility for payment - tried to reach a compromise.

 

The Tayside club offered £40,000, Thistle said they would accept £60,000 but no common ground could be found.

 

And then the Maryhill outfit received a claim from McNamara for the promotion bonus he felt he was entitled to.

 

Beattie explained: "United originally brought up the question of compensation and told me it wasn't a problem.

 

"Then it became a problem and became a payment plan. I was told that was the way football is done. Well, it's not the way Partick Thistle do it.

 

"Because eventually I wanted to draw a line under it and concentrate on Thistle getting into the SPL and going forward we said £60,000 but that was unacceptable."

 

And in terms of McNamara and his bonus payment Beattie went on: "Firstly I think that claim is disrespectful to Alan Archibald and the management team here.

 

"Archie won the league for us. Jackie started it, Archie finished it. Is the claim muddying the waters? I don't know.

 

"But I can tell you for sure that letter came in from the lawyer and it has come in from Jackie's new lawyers as well.

 

"You would have to ask Dundee United if they're attempting to bully us, but there seems to have been a lot of legal conflict involving them over the years."

 

Thistle will pay the promotion bonus to Archibald and assistant Scott Paterson at the end of this month.

 

Beattie added: "I like Jackie and I like Simon. The circumstances now are unfortunate but Thistle haven't received what we believe is rightly due.

 

"I have a duty to this club, the board and the fans to ensure that we get that money."

 

United chairman Thompson, meanwhile, didn't dispute much of what Beattie is claiming.

 

"Our initial offer of £40,000 there and then and £40,000 by April 30 would have given them the full amount of their clause within the 90-day period but they turned that down," said Thompson.

 

"The reality is in football I don't think I've ever been involved in a deal which wasn't structured in some way.

 

"As an example, the David Goodwillie transfer was paid to us over 11 months.

 

"I obviously can't speak on behalf of Jackie, but the legal advice we have been given is that the clause is not enforceable.

 

"However, as a show of good faith from our board, we did then offer £40,000 to settle it.

 

"They wanted £60,000 and despite a further offer to find middle ground, as you do in a negotiation, they have so far refused."

 

 

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/footb...+Sport+Feed%29

[stewarty 2,002]

United really are a dishonest and scummy club with that prick Thompson in charge.