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Sheffield United's £30m Tevez payout
SHEFFIELD United are set to receive £30 million in damages from West Ham after an independent tribunal ruled against them over the Carlos Tevez affair, it was revealed today.
A compensation figure has yet to be set but Sheffield United are demanding 30,396,897.32 after they were relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 2006-07 season and West Ham stayed up with Tevez playing a key role.
The tribunal's decision is based on Tevez, who was registered illegally, being worth at least three points to West Ham in the relegation fight.
What do you think of the decision? Add your comment below.
The Blades claim relegation from the Premiership meant they lost out on 21,788,795
The figure is made up of TV and merchandising rights and bonus payments paid to Premier League clubs for where they finish in the table.
United also claim they lost 4m from Phil Jagielka's transfer to Everton that summer.
They valued the defender at 8m but a release clause in Jagielka's contract meant he would be allowed to leave if they were relegated and another club offered 4m.
The rest of the claim for damages is based on season ticket sales, sponsorship, catering, club merchandising and 'lost business opportunities'.
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United plc and football club chairman Kevin McCabe said: "I can confirm that the clubs have been notified of the ruling. The arbitration panel have awarded in our favour.
"As the matter is still legal in process, I do not wish to comment any further until we have completed that legal process."
United were not expecting to be officially informed of the verdict until Thursday.
Both clubs understood that they were to be told privately and the news and reaction were set to be released on Friday.
The Star was a key campaigner for United's cause following their relegation, presenting a protest petition to the Premier League.
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The Hammers were originally fined 5.5m by a Premier League panel in April 2007 for breaking transfer rules - including withholding vital documentation - over the signing of Argentine duo Tevez and Javier Masherano.
But the panel decided not to deduct points which would have almost certainly meant the Hammers were relegated.Tevez was cleared to play on and helped West Ham survive on the last day of the season, while United went down. West Ham finished on 41 points, compared to third-from-bottom United who had 38 points, but a superior goal difference.
Now the tribunal, chaired by Lord Griffiths, has decided in United's favour and are expected to reveal their findings today.
The judgment reads: "On the totality of the evidence, we have no doubt that West Ham would have secured at least three fewer points over the 2006-07 season if Carlos Tevez had not been playing.
"Indeed, we think it more likely than not on the evidence that we heard, that even over the final two games of the season, West Ham would have achieved at least three points less overall without Mr Tevez."
It is not yet clear if West Ham can appeal.
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