York City's former manager Terry Dolan today took his club bosses to an employment tribunal and won a £1,300 wrangle over current season match win bonuses.

A tribunal panel sitting in Leeds ruled unanimously that he had had the cash unlawfully deducted from his wages for this season.

Mr Dolan has been on garden leave since being relieved of his duties as club manager in May last year, but he remains an employee of the club while York City pay out the final 12 months of his contract.

At today's tribunal he argued that he should still have been paid bonuses earned by the performance of the team after he stopped managing the players.

He claimed he was owed £1,300 from team wins and draws. Bonuses and incentives as part of his contract had still to be paid, as the football club had not informed him otherwise in writing.

Representing Mr Dolan, George Coyle said he was at no time told in writing that he would no longer receive the bonuses.

Chris Brass is the current manager of York City.

At the tribunal, representatives of York City asserted that the bonus scheme was meant for those who participated in the performance and success of the team, to which Mr Dolan had not.

They believed a letter sent to Mr Dolan on May 30, informing him of his garden leave, made that provision clear.

Jason McGill, club director, said: "There wasn't anything in writing. For us, looking at the bonuses, I certainly believed that they should be given to someone associated with the success of the team."

Communications dierector Sophie McGill said: "The board of York City do not think it is morally correct for Terry Dolan to receive bonuses based on this season's results."

A tribunal panel spokesman said: "We have found for the applicant in this case. We consider that the respondent's case was weak and of little substance, if any."

Updated: 14:22 Thursday, February 12, 2004