Grimsby Town: Boston demand cash for bosses. Grimsby Telegraph

[Shoddys Lane]

BOSTON United are demanding £25,000 from Grimsby Town to avoid a court hearing over the controversial switch by bosses Rob Scott and Paul Hurst in March.

Town chairman John Fenty has exclusively revealed the figure to the Telegraph as the club prepares to respond to legal papers issued by the Pilgrims in the next week.

And as he reiterates his standpoint that Town did nothing wrong when they signed Hurst and Scott following their resignation at York Street, Mr Fenty says the club will fight their case all the way.

Boston were upset about losing the successful management duo to Town and want compensation after claiming Scott and Hurst broke their contracts at York Street.

Town, however, believe the pair were free agents after the Pilgrims website announced their resignations had been accepted a day before the Mariners began negotiations to appoint them as Neil Woods' successor.

With no middle ground agreeable, the two clubs now look set for a battle through the courts. Mr Fenty is far from happy with the situation and the fact his Boston counterpart David Newton has pushed the matter into the public forum.

The Town chief told the Telegraph: "Nothing has changed. Of course, we are working on our response to those papers behind the scenes because you can't ignore them.

"But I still find it implausible that the football club has been drawn into this.

"The managers were free from contract when we started talking to them and Boston acknowledged this on their website.

"They announced they had appointed new managers the same day we started discussions with Rob and Paul.

"I don't believe Boston have any grounds for a case.

"They want £25,000 from us in settlement of the contracts they claim Rob and Paul were still bound by.

"I'm quite happy to reveal that figure because Boston have made this a very public case.

"I'd like to see the whole thing washed away; I still feel this is a waste of time and money.

"But if we have to go to court then we will and we will fight our case."

Town have until July 7 to respond to legal papers served by Boston.

[Tash]

There is only one K******d been shouting off in the local press and it certainly isn't David Newton. Let's hope they get Churchyy aswell and we can take some more of their money of them.

[ExBostonian]

Why would they resign from a play-off chasing team if they had not already been 'tapped up' with an illegal approach?

[Wembley 85]

Am I alone in thinking that Fenty is another out of the same mould as Sotnick?  What a tit!

[shorty2kuk]

Am I alone in thinking that Fenty is another out of the same mould as Sotnick?  What a tit!

well at the minute he'd making sotnick look like he knew what he was doing

[AJHallgarth]

I thought that we're suing Scott & Hurst for walking out on their managerial contracts, and Grimsby because Hurst was still registered as a player here and they made no formal approach for him.

In that case, what on earth is Fenty waffling on about?

[Pilgrim21]

The bloke just believes his own b******t.
He thinks that if he says something enough times then it becomes true, whereas it is blatantly not.

[Sussex Pilgrim]

Well lets just wait until the compensation is paid and then he can really be ridiculed.  Up to that point he's winning having got two quality managers for nothing more than a bit of name calling.  I think £25k is more than reasonable and Lee and Cannovile were only coaches until the closed season...he should read the small print I'm sure DN's lawyers have.