Fenty Reacts to Boston’s Legal Action

Grimsby Town’s chairman, John Fenty, has reacted to moves by Boston United’s chairman, David Newton, to begin legal action against the club.

Speaking to the Evening Telegraph, Fenty resolutely defended the club’s actions in the appointment of Rob Scott and Paul Hurst as joint managers last wednesday :

‘We do not accept any claims of wrongdoing by Grimsby Town and don’t believe Boston have a legal position. It’s upsetting this is being played out in public.

‘We approached the club and wanted to speak to Rob and Paul because we understood there was a release clause, but at no stage did David Newton say anything about compensation.

‘I can only assume the conditions Boston then expected the managers to agree to were one step too far. We had no knowledge of the conditions they put to Rob and Paul.

‘My own interpretation is that they only had five weeks left on their contract, having not been offered new terms, and moving into full-time management was always an aspiration for them. Perhaps they felt the club were stopping them from progressing their careers.

‘On Tuesday, I saw an article on the Boston website which said their resignations had been accepted and clarified their release from contract. This article was later taken down and a new one put in its place with different wording.

‘Later the same day, the club announced on their website that they had appointed replacements.

‘We did not enter negotiations with Rob and Paul until they were free agents and we agreed terms on the Wednesday.

‘We refute any suggestions of an induced breach of contract and believe we have done nothing wrong’.

Newton, however, still maintains that his club is due compensation for the remaining five weeks of the duo’s contracts, having previously said that those contracts had not included any mechanism for resignation.

After Boston’s 1-0 defeat last saturday at Solihull Motors, Newton told the Lincolnshire Echo :

‘We were happy for them to join Grimsby. The terms we put forward were all about confidentiality and meeting with us if they got the job so we could arrange a proper handover.

‘But they declined those terms and decided to leave the club, which unfortunately we believe they can’t do because they’re still under contract.

‘That left us in a difficult position and we’re having to take action against all three parties, which is a sad end to their reign.

‘I understand the pre-action protocol letters went across to the lawyer on Friday. It could have been resolved. But in our view Rob, Paul and Grimsby have not chosen to do it in a proper way’.

Grimsby Town’s official website this afternoon ackowledges the club’s receipt of the pre-action papers.

As they say in journalistic circles, the case continues !