Football
PA Sport 7y

West Brom's Tony Pulis: I have to bite tongue after £3.7m High Court ruling

West Brom boss Tony Pulis said he had to "bite my tongue" after the High Court ruled he must pay his former club Crystal Palace £3.7 million.

Pulis had earlier this year been ordered to pay the sum in damages to Palace by a Premier League Managers' Arbitration Tribunal.

The West Brom boss had claimed that the decision was unfair and mounted a challenge in the High Court, but judge Sir Michael Burton ruled against him after a hearing in London.

Arbitrators concluded: "By any standards his conduct (prior to and during the litigation) has been shown to be disgraceful" and that he had not been "committed to the club" when he quit in August 2014 after receiving a £2m bonus, but he denied the claims.

Speaking at a news conference before his side's game at home to Watford on Saturday, he said: "Obviously I've got to bite my tongue a little bit at the moment.

"I'm really disappointed with the outcome and strenuously deny what has been said. But it's been done. I have to move on and we have to move on.

"I had 10 fantastic months at Crystal Palace. The first game I went and watched was at Hull when they had three points from 11 games, and then that season we finished 11th in the league.

"It was a fantastic achievement, the players were brilliant, the supporters were fantastic. They're great memories for me."

Pulis said he knows "a lot of people" and would "let them judge my integrity and character."

He added: "I can't say too much. I've been advised by lawyers not to say too much at this present moment, but there will come a time. That's all I want to say at the moment."

He said he had "a massive job" at West Brom and added: "We've had a real good run.

"There's plenty of confidence at the moment and the supporters are enjoying it, which is really good as well. That's important."

^ Back to Top ^