Sheffield United: Kevin McCabe no longer a director of Blades as court hears club's bank 'asked questions' over loan from bin Laden family

The document today confirmed the termination of McCabe’s directorship at Bramall Lane – dated back to October 7 – following last month’s High Court decision to hand sole control of United to his former business partner Prince Abdullah.

McCabe’s lawyers yesterday signalled their intention to appeal the verdict, but Mr Justice Fancourt refused – telling them he did not think that they had a realistic prospect of overturning his ruling in the Court of Appeal.

Lawyers representing McCabe are now expected to make a second bid and ask a Court of Appeal judge to give them permission to mount an appeal. Yesterday, Mr Justice Fancourt heard that United’s bankers "asked questions" after reports that the club was linked to money from a Saudi businessman related to former al Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.

The judge was told that reports which emerged from a High Court trial earlier this year "led to some difficulties". Prince Abdullah had told the trial that the person behind a £3 million loan was Saleh Mohammed bin Laden.

The judge was told about questions asked by the Santander bank at a follow-up High Court hearing in London on Monday.

Barrister Andreas Gledhill QC, who represented Prince Abdullah and UTB, said the publicity had been "highly damaging" to the club.

"Santander asked questions," he told the judge. "It led to some difficulties with the club's bankers, Santander."

The judge was considering a number of legal issues at Monday's follow-up hearing - including arguments about who should pick up particular lawyers' bills.