Town have finally settled their long-running legal wrangle with former manager Jim Magilton. The 41-year-old was sacked by the Blues in April 2009 and subsequently issued a High Court writ against the club to try to recover £352,083.33 in lost earnings from his contract which was up at the end of June last year.

The case was due to be heard in the High Court this week but the League Managers’ Association (LMA) says the matter has now been settled: “[After his dismissal] Magilton tried to resolve matters relating to his departure amicably and sensibly with the club, but the club failed to agree to pay him the sums clearly due under the terms of his contract.

"The LMA, with its solicitors RJW, therefore filed court papers for recovery of the sums due.

“It came as a shock to Mr Magilton, and all concerned, that the club’s response to the proceedings was to then try and find grounds to justify not paying him.

“The claim was due to be heard in court this week, but in a last minute climbdown, the club has unreservedly withdrawn the defence and agreed to pay Mr Magilton the sums due to him and all of his legal costs.”

Acting on behalf of the Northern Irishman, Paul Daniels of RJW solicitors said: “The club made various allegations against Mr Magilton, which we advised were completely without substance and that he had an unanswerable case.

“High Court proceedings were regrettably progressed, and despite reasonable offers to compromise the matter, the club still continued to raise yet more issues that were not relevant to the case.

“We are disappointed that the club took so long to sort this matter out but we are delighted that our client has won his case and been completely vindicated".

Magilton himself says he is sad that matters progressed as they did at a club where he played for eight years and spent three seasons as manager: "It was disappointing and upsetting that a club I had served so loyally for so many years, as a player, club captain and then manager chose to try and deny me the compensation agreed in my contract, when we sadly parted company in 2009.

“I tried to obtain a sensible settlement, and even made an offer for less than the sum now agreed, but they still would not agree to my proposals.

“Instead, they continued to raise more unfounded issues, which they either then abandoned or have now withdrawn.

“It has been a long, tiring and unnecessary dispute, but I am delighted that I have, with the support of the League Managers Association and its outstanding legal team, RJW solicitors and Paul Gilroy QC, entirely cleared my name and put the record straight.

“I still have fond feelings for Ipswich Town, a club where I made many friends and I wish the club all the best for the future.”

The club have issued a statement: "Ipswich Town Football Club can confirm that it has reached a mutually agreeable settlement with one of our previous managers, Jim Magilton, regarding an outstanding matter.

"The dispute and outcome of the settlement are a confidential matter between ourselves and one of our previous employees and as such we will be making no further comment on the matter."

Photo: Action Images

wellhungphil added 23:14 - Mar 22 Jim was an amazing boss - saved Ipswich from the drop the year that he was appointed. In fact we had a very respectable season that year, even though we should have been flushed out faster than a large pooie after a night locked in to McDonald's!
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Bluetone added 23:47 - Mar 22 Tacky and disgraceful behaviour by Evans & Clegg
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Frankley_Blue added 00:19 - Mar 23 The club owe him more than 350 grand ... they owe him a public apology. Shocking behaviour :-(
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VanIsleBlue added 00:24 - Mar 23 magilton can do no wrong in my eyes he is a true Ipswich legend and will be forever. Roy Keane...how can he be paid compensation? Worst manager we ever had and in 133 years that is saying something. We should be looking at Clegg and asking ourselves if he is worth all this trouble
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hampstead_blue added 01:01 - Mar 23 there is nothing right about treating Magic that way. anyone who witnessed his hat-trick against Bolton and his years on loyal service should pour scorn on those who managed this appalling situation. As proud as I am to say I am an ITFC fan, this cast a shadow of shame across our fine club.
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TractorRoyNo1 added 01:06 - Mar 23 i called for Jim's head during his last 6 months as a manager, but i find it rather sordid and sad that the club did not 'pay up and look big' when they were so obviously in breach of contract ps - good player, but easy on the term 'legend' not fit to lace the boots of an Elsworthy, Crawford, Mills, Butcher etc
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floridaboy added 06:13 - Mar 23 Good player he was - legend he most definitely was not. Fed up of keep hearing that he was one. He was a decent midfield player that is all Just goes to prove what is wrong with football which is slowing shooting itself in the foot. He gets the sack - gets paid £350,000. Anyone else in NORMAL life gets the sack - they get absolutely nothing TractorRoyNo1 - it is no good talking about Crawford and Elsworthy on here as the majority were not even born then!

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Pessimistic added 07:39 - Mar 23 I bet Simon says was heading the negotiations. He couldn't organise a an orgy in a brothel and Jim deserves much better than this. Go Clegg go!
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DiamondGezzer added 08:11 - Mar 23 I'm sorry to disagree with some of you, but IMHO Magilton should have been given longer. Who knows what the outcome would have been. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Garv, Lightningboy and StowTractorBoy :- Agree.
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corunnaviking1759 added 08:46 - Mar 23 With the Club owing money left right and centre, I don't hold out much hope for new signings etc, unless ME has loads of money, if so pay up and help us get in the Premiership, it will pay you back big time in the end you tight git!!!!
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Premiertown added 08:46 - Mar 23 Magilton was the wrong choice, promoted out of the dressing room - cant work. As a player he was past his sell by date long before that. But ipswich hace a track record before Clegg etc remember Burley who was sacked and placed on garden leave and then not paid when his contract loke the others does not say no pay for poor performance. You get the deal signed for or negotiate a quick lower settlement to get it finished. Also before ME money Ipswich reneged on so many contracts before going bust and luckily avoiding the points penalties subsequently killing other teams eg Plymouth? ps its Ted Heaths fault the country is in a mess! Lol

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MickMillsTash added 09:01 - Mar 23 Why are people blaming Marcus Evans?- without him we would be playing in Div 1 after the club was run into the ground in our Premier years under the old Ipswich culture. Marcus Evans has ploughed his money into the club and it is because of prats like Magilton, Keane that we have so many seasons of garbage at Portman Road. If you can criticise Evans it was for not sacking Magilton and Keane earlier and backing them with the money to buy the likes of Civelli, Priskin Martin etc. Football not just Ipswich has changed beyond all recognition in the last 20 years and whether for the good or bad there is no point moaning about it.

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DJ_Kesgrave added 09:09 - Mar 23 Typical behavior of Marcus Evans, add that to all his unofficial official ticketing at corporate events such as the world cup, the olympics and wimbledon and his tax avoidance in Bermuda. Like everything he does, he bends the the truth pretty much to breaking point for his own benefit. Not paying his obligations to IBC or Magiliton throws a light on his business practices. And it doesn't smell of roses. Let HMRC take a look at him.

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paristractor added 09:20 - Mar 23 disgusting....super jims a legend...end of
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brittaniaman added 09:21 - Mar 23 Keano good player,Poor manager,should have come here as Player/manager, just MIGHT !!! have got somewhere. Jimbos man management let him down, watched him give Norris a right rollicking with his head in his face on the touchline in front of 20,000 fans. the fans behind the dugout were calling for him to cool it !!!!
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SouperJim added 09:40 - Mar 23 Disgusting treatment of one of our most loyal servants
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Raedwald_625 added 09:44 - Mar 23 The club has let Jim and Town fans down. Ipswich and England
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ITFCFW added 09:46 - Mar 23 Well done to TWTD for highlighting this - I think the club had hoped it would be buried by the season ticket news, the club may have issued a short statement but it dos'nt seem to warrant a mention on their website !
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StowTractorBoy added 10:00 - Mar 23 Marcus Evans is a business man and whatever you may say about him he acts in the best interests of Ipswich Town F.C. not just on the football field but behind the scenes as well. Yes he has made a boo boo with Jim but please stop knocking the guy. He is our saviour and without his backing we really will be in the mire. Will you still be criticising the man if he pulls the plug I expect so - just let the guy get on with the job and stop knocking him and Clegg all the time. We are lucky we are where we are and be grateful. Just take a look at Sheff Wed, Charlton and Plymouth to name but three - they would love to have Marcus Evans' money.

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clive_baker added 10:15 - Mar 23 Jim did his best for this club as both player and manager and was more intent on bringing success here than anyone. He worked to a tight budget under Sheepy and in hindsight, didnt do half bad when Evans came in. Evans chose to fire him and get Keane in so pay him what he is due.
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thechangingman added 10:19 - Mar 23 This was a very difficult story to read. Out of Jim and the Club - only one comes out with any dignity and honour. What a total embarrassment and without even an apology from the club at the end. What are we becoming? A sad, sad day... Good on you Jim for all that you did for the club and even after being treated so absymally, for taking a gracious approach. You have my undying respect...

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DJ_Kesgrave added 10:31 - Mar 23 Marcus Evans is a business man and whatever you may say about him he acts in the best interests of Marcu Evans.
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Bergholtblue added 10:42 - Mar 23 You don't get to earn as much money as ME has by being nice. Business is a cut throat, dog eat dog world and to survive one has to be ruthless. However, this shows that there is a fine line between ruthlessness and being a right b. "we would like to thank Jim for all he has done whilkst at the club and wish him well for the future" but we ain't going to pay him what he was legally due. Trying to wriggle out of legally binding contracts, refusing to pay rent arrears that have been set by legally binding arbitration, this club is becoming a laughing stock.

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Raedwald_625 added 11:06 - Mar 23 Stowtractorboy, I don't see ME as a saviour. I have seen no noticable improvement since he came along. I would even say many aspects have deteriorated, i.e. quality of football, Cleggy, sacking managers with a phone call, etc This club could drop into non-league and we will still follow it. ME is not Ipswich and he is not 'our saviour'. No more creeping please.
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hrj added 11:34 - Mar 23 When Jim got appointed QPR Manager surely then we didn't have to carring on pay him you can't be getting paid by 2 clubs at the same time ?
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