Compensation: Horton

An Employment Tribunal in Leeds has ruled that the club must pay Horton, the current Heworth coach, £13,030.77, plus £500 costs.

The ruling was made just before Christmas, but the decision has only just been made public by the tribunal.

At a previous hearing the tribunal dealt with the club's failure to give Horton appropriate notice to terminate his employment.

He was sacked on December 29, 1996, after he and Steve Crooks, his counterpart at Hull, called off a pre-season friendly because York had insufficient fit players to fulfil the fixture.

Horton tried to telephone then club director Russell Greenfield about the decision, but could not contact him.

He did speak to Ian Clough, the then club secretary, to say the match had been called off.

The following day Horton was told he had been sacked and a letter confirming his dismissal was sent by the club.

It said: "We are with immediate effect terminating your contract of employment with us as coach. The reason for your instant dismissal is gross misconduct."

At a hearing last September, which York RL failed to attend, the tribunal reported: "In this case the respondent (York RLFC) failed to follow any procedure, let alone reasonable procedure with regard to the applicant's dismissal. There was no investigatory hearing.

There was no disciplinary hearing. There was no opportunity for the applicant to state his case.

"For all those reasons we are satisfied that the dismissal of the applicant was unfair."

Horton received £1,800 damages for breach of contract and the latest hearing set the level of compensation at £13,030.77.

Wasps' chief executive Jim Race, who was not employed by the club at the time of Horton's sacking, said today the club would make no official comment on the matter. Horton was not available for comment today.

Meanwhile, a High Court hearing was due to be held today to consider a winding up petition issued by the Inland Revenue against Wasps over £82,000 in unpaid taxes. The original hearing last November was adjouned, since when taks have been held and agreement reached about a payment plan.

The club were confident the petition would be withdrawn today.

Maurice Lindsay, who has been involved in rugby league administration for the last 20 years, will not be lost to the game despite his impending retirement. The veteran administrator has confirmed that he will step down as managing director of Super League Europe (SLE) by the end of the new season.

The long-time bookmaker intends to return to his first love of horse racing but will maintain his links with rugby league as a non-executive member of the SLE board of directors.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.