Sean Connor sues Bohemians

[Paddyfield]

Sean Connor is taking Bohemians in the High Court according to the Sunday Business Post

http://www.thepost.ie/post/pages/p/story.aspx-qqqt=IRELAND-qqqm=news-qqqid=32039-qqqx=1.asp

[rambler14]

:D:D
Dwarfs can be so bitter:D

[A face]

I wonder will this guy (http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/04_03/SteveBruceL_468x666.jpg) be defending him in court?

[Aaron]

This is where all the allegations that were made will either come out in the open or prove to be unfounded.

[kdjaC]

High court for unfair dismissal :confused:



kdjac

[CvilleRovers]

Sean Connor is taking Bohemians in the High Court according to the Sunday Business Post

http://www.thepost.ie/post/pages/p/story.aspx-qqqt=IRELAND-qqqm=news-qqqid=32039-qqqx=1.asp

:D:D:D

[dcfcsteve]

No detail in the article about what his grounds are for claiming unfair dismissal, though waiting 4-5 months to file a claim does strike me as a little odd.

Also - I would expect this to affect his ability to commentate on MNS for the fore-seeable future.

[kdjaC]

No detail in the article about what his grounds are for claiming unfair dismissal, though waiting 4-5 months to file a claim does strike me as a little odd.

Also - I would expect this to affect his ability to commentate on MNS for the fore-seeable future.

Down here you only have 6 months to claim for unfair dismissal but its not with the High Court it goes to a special tribunal thing. Which makes this being in the high court odd unless there something else he suing for :confused:


kdjac

[celticV3]

I wonder will this guy (http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/04_03/SteveBruceL_468x666.jpg) be defending him in court?

heard he's a suprise witness but keep that to yourself;)

[A face]

If everything comes out in the wash about him (if its true i mean) then it would definitely be the last nail in the coffin for his managerial career. He must reckon he has a good case if he is taking it this far. I mean if he didn't have a good case then wouldn't he be better off leaving sleeping dogs lie and hope its all fades in peoples minds over time.

[Sheridan]

He was sacked for gross misconduct and the rationale offered in support of that decision at the time was tenuous to say the least. Be interesting to see what comes out.

[A face]

the rationale offered in support of that decision at the time was tenuous to say the least.

What was the rationale? I mean what was the official line on it?

[Sheridan]

Officially it didn't go further than "gross misconduct", but well-placed sources mentioned a string of (unsubstantiated) transgressions which, though odd to say the least, didn't exactly amount to gross misconduct.

[A face]

Officially it didn't go further than "gross misconduct", but well-placed sources mentioned a string of (unsubstantiated) transgressions which, though odd to say the least, didn't exactly amount to gross misconduct.

So this could possibly backfire on Bohs yeah? The only thing now though is why the high court? As opposed to the normal route that someone would take.

[Jicked]

Indeed, would Bohs have still construed what he supposedly did as Gross Misconduct had he done it on the back of winning a league and cup double? Seemed a lot easier to call it Gross Misconduct with a large amount of Bohs fans demanding his head anyway.

[Jicked]

Also considering Shamrock Rovers had what seemed like more substantial grounds against Roddy Collins (leaving work to go to a boxing match ffs) and also suspended him and carried out internal investigation (as opposed to Bohs immediate dismissal of Connors), they still paid out a substantial sum to him at the Tribunal. I'd imagine Connors saw that and fancies his chances.

[DRDoc]

My understanding is if he has filed the papers with the court then its a matter of public record - so the particulars are there to be viewed by anyone who wishes

Anyone confirm or deny this?

[Calcio Jack]

My understanding is if he has filed the papers with the court then its a matter of public record - so the particulars are there to be viewed by anyone who wishes

Anyone confirm or deny this?

The situation is that if the case proceeds to the High Court then what has been filed will get aired in open court...as to some wondering why he has gone to the HC...nothing unusual in that , as he may (a) already of signalled to Bohs that he wants compensation for unfair dismissal, which they most likely have now refused, the normal next step is to then institute proceedings which he has done, most likely outcome will be a settlement on the "court steps" (b) whilst he could perhaps of taken his claim to the Employment Tribunal, he may of got advice not to and it is a anyway up to him as to whether or not he wished to do that.... anyway his actions and their timing is not in the slightest bit unusual..... bottom line is that most likely will cost Bohs a few quid.....as to what it will do for O'Connor's career in terms of his future employment possibilities in the League, well time will tell.

[forza rovers]

he is suing them for not letting him keep his red pyjamas:D

[Block G Raptor]

(as opposed to Bohs immediate dismissal of Connors),

There was no Immediate dismissal of connor
he was given 2 verbal warnings and a written warning in the preceding weeks/months

[Tenderloins]

From Todays Indo...
http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/eircom-league/bohs-get--prepared-as-connor-launches-legal-bid-1348103.html

Bohs get prepared as Connor launches legal bid

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BOHEMIANS are preparing to mount a stern defence to the case being taken by deposed former manager Sean Connor to the High Court, with the Belfast man arguing they were not entitled to terminate his contract last December.

Connor has brought proceedings challenging the method of his sacking and the case has been adjourned by Mr Justice Frank Clarke for a week to allow the club file a replying affidavit.

Pending the full action, Connor is seeking an injunction requiring the club to allow him remain as manager until the end of next season -- as per the terms of his initial three-year contract -- and to pay his salary from last December up until that point.

Bohemians, by replying to his claim, will be presenting into the public domain the sizeable list of reasons they provided to Connor when ending his one-year stay at Dalymount Park.

In an affidavit, the former Sligo Rovers boss, now back living in Donegal, revealed the terms of his contract which was a salary of €100,000 per annum, plus performance bonuses. The Gypsies also provided him with a mobile phone and a car and had orally agreed to a €3,000 bonus for qualifying for Europe which he claims was not paid despite qualification for the Inter-toto Cup.

On December 19 last, he had received a letter, dated December 7, from club secretary, Gerry Conway, which referred to a number of matters which had occurred in previous months, including that he had allegedly allowed other staff members to drive the club car with no insurance; that he had brought midfielder Chris Turner to Bohemians training while he was with Sligo Rovers; and that he had allowed a bill of €3,000 to go unattended in DCU.

Conway wrote that no further incidents of that nature could occur without the Board being forced to take disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal, if the Board took the view any such incident was of a serious nature.

Bohemians were also unhappy at the handling of player contracts at the conclusion of that campaign with matters coming to a head when defender Des Byrne claimed that he had been offered a two-year contract by Connor before the manager subsequently denied any involvement in doing so in a meeting with club president Gerry Cuffe.

Connor strongly refuted the points raised. He said he had understood any car provided by the club would be fully taxed and insured as was the case with his previous employer Sligo Rovers.

However, after he was involved in a road traffic accident with an innocent third party, to whom he had given insurance details displayed on the insurance disc in the car, he discovered there was no cover in place. He said the club had later settled the third party's claim and deducted it from his wages without his consent.

On the other claims, he said Bohs had not objected to Turner coming to training. The bill for €3,000 at DCU was for players' lunches during training there and for lunches immediately prior to two friendly matches from which Bohemians had earned revenue of some €60,000.

He said the club had told him the cost of the lunches would be deducted from his salary.

Connor said he had discussed proposals for the following season with board members on December 10 but on December 18, he was contacted by a journalist who told him he would be sacked the next day.

Then, on December 19, he was told the club was repudiating his contract for misconduct, that he would be paid until January 17 and had no right of appeal.

[Dodge]

LOL @ Bohs

2 concurrent high court cases. Even Shels couldn't manage that!

[Tenderloins]

Its some Joke, Are Connors alleged antics during the penalty practice not one of the reasons also?
Cant see Bohs winning this, they may hate the man but surely going to the High Court and having the case heard would be just too much. They'd end up paying a lot more than had they settled at the steps of the court.

[Rory H]

Nothing suprising about that article!

[pete]

LOL @ Bohs
2 concurrent high court cases. Even Shels couldn't manage that!

At least they might be able to negotiate a discount is use the same barrister. :p

A lot of the stuff seems quiet similar but not as dramatic as the rumours doing the rounds after his dismissal. Bohs could get hammered for deduction money from his salary unless they have water tight contract.

I would suspect if O'Connor wants a new job (e.g. Galway) he wants this settled quickly otherwise it damages his reputation. Likewise Bohs won't want to be embarrassed in public.

[SkStu]

A lot of the stuff seems quiet similar but not as dramatic as the rumours doing the rounds after his dismissal..

thats cos its his version of events - ffs, hes hardly going to hang himself in his own affidavit.

Bohs will respond with their version of events and then we should have a better idea as to how things lie.

[CharlesThompson]

Connor has brought proceedings challenging the method of his sacking and the case has been adjourned by Mr Justice Frank Clarke for a week to allow the club file a replying affidavit.

Pending the full action, Connor is seeking an injunction requiring the club to allow him remain as manager until the end of next season -- as per the terms of his initial three-year contract -- and to pay his salary from last December up until that point.

Have to say I find the bolded section here rather unrealistic. What if he wins? Does that mean that Fenlon will need to be paid off and Bohs end up with a manager that nobody in the club wants? Notwithstanding the seriousness of such a situation arising but it would be rather funny. Bohs lose three games in a row - Connor gets sacked.

In any case, if what O'Donnell writes is true and Connor is in fact challenging the method of his sacking and Connor did in fact get his due notice from the club in terms of warnings etc. then he hasn't got a red pantaloon to stand on.