A Premier League tribunal began today to consider the circumstances that led to the departure of former Villa manager Martin O’Neill, after the Ulsterman had refused to shed any light on why he left Villa last August, and follows the failure of a mediation process to resolve his dispute with the club late last year. The only previous tribunals by the Premier League Managers’ Arbitration concerned Alan Curbishley and West Ham in 2010, and Kevin Keegan and Newcastle in 2009. All contracts with Premier League managers include a clause ensuring they and the clubs attempt mediation should they part company, and the Premier League model is designed to avoid the expense and time of going to the High Court. Both previous cases have seen the managers win their cases, with Keegan receiving £2m in damages from Newcastle who were ruled to be in breach of a term in his contract. The current tribunal could sit for at least a week and there is no deadline for a ruling to be announced.
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