Leeds United have been ordered to pay former academy welfare officer Lucy Ward £290,000 following her employment tribunal victory against the club, her solicitors have confirmed.
Ward successfully pursued an unfair dismissal and sex discrimination case against Leeds in April after arguing that the reason she had been sacked in 2015 by the club’s owner Massimo Cellino was because she was the partner of former manager Neil Redfearn, one of the six managers sacked by the Italian since he took over at Elland Road in April 2014.
Leeds had claimed Ward lost her job, having been there for 17 years, because she took an excessive amount of holiday in order to work as a commentator for the BBC at the 2015 Women’s World Cup in Canada.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank my legal team Richard Cramer and Martin Williams of FrontRow Legal for their support and guidance. A special mention to my brilliant barrister, Nick Randall QC of Matrix Chambers, who recognised the injustice I suffered and argued it simply and skilfully on my behalf,” Ward is quoted as saying in the Yorkshire Evening Post. “And finally a thank you to all Leeds United fans and people who have taken the time to send their best wishes and support to me throughout.
“To my Mum, brother, friends, and in particular my partner, Neil. I could not have done this without you.”
Ward will receive £127,229.81 from the club over the sex discrimination and £5,525 over her unfair dismissal. The club have also been ordered to pay Ward’s legal costs, which are said to be in the region of £100,000. The judgment from the tribunal case also reveals Leeds arranged for its senior staff to take part in equalities training following the case.
Ward’s tribunal victory led to the supporters’ protest group Time To Go Massimo furthering its calls for Cellino to leave the club. “We are disappointed that because the club failed to follow a correct and fair procedure in dismissing Lucy Ward, a substantial amount of the club’s money will be essentially wasted on paying further legal fees [as well as at least some of Ward’s legal fees] and giving her the compensation she is entitled to,” read a statement at the time of the verdict.
“We consider Lucy to be ‘one of our own’ and wish to thank her for what we understand to be a wonderful 17 years of service at Leeds United [including her playing career], raising amazing talent like Fabian Delph, James Milner, Sam Byram and Lewis Cook to name but a few.”
