The West Bromwich Albion head coach Tony Pulis has been ordered to pay his former employers Crystal Palace more than £3.5m after a dispute over a bonus for keeping the club in the Premier League, according to reports.
Pulis was entitled to the bonus after taking Palace to an 11th-place finish in 2013-14 after joining with the club in the relegation zone. He was scheduled to be paid the sum – believed to be around £2m –before the end of August 2014 but it was brought forward at his request. Pulis then stunned the south London club by walking out on the eve of their opening Premier League fixture of the season against Arsenal citing disagreements over funds for new players.
Palace took the case to an independent mediation tribunal set up under FA rules to avoid football disputes going to court, with Sky Sports News reporting on Wednesday that Pulis has been ordered to pay more than £3.5m. That sum is thought to include £1m in damages, with Pulis also ordered to pay both sides’ legal costs.
Under the confidential terms of the arbitration, neither party is allowed to comment on the case. However, it is understood Pulis was given several opportunities to settle but preferred to go to court instead.
