Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Chico Hamilton III on May 11, 2011, 04:40:54 PM
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Not sure if this has been posted already?
Aston Villa has been ordered to pay over B£22,000 in compensation after it unfairly sacked its historian who has supported the football club for 60 years.<QA1>
John Lerwill, 65, was axed by the Premiership club last year when he tried to defend his reputation on an unofficial online fanzine.<QA1>
The tribunal heard that fans wrongly assumed he had written an article on the club’s official website that had, in fact, been “cobbled together” by its media team.<QA1>
Mr Lerwill said he was worried the unwarranted criticism of him would hit sales of his acclaimed 984-page history of the club called The Villa Chronicles.<QA1>
But Villa chiefs took exception to his exchanges with fans in which he denied responsibility for the “poorly presented” piece.<QA1>
They accused him of being rude to the fans and bringing the club into disrepute by being critical of his colleagues in his responses on the ’Heroes and Villains’ forum.<QA1>
They claimed his comments were “inappropriate and unprofessional” in his capacity as a club employee and fired him for gross misconduct.<QA1>
But a panel at Birmingham Employment Tribunal found that the club’s punishment was disproportionate.<QA1>
Employment judge Ann Coaster ruled: “The decision to dismiss fell outside the band of reasonable responses and was unfair.<QA1>
“An appropriate sanction would have fallen short, on this occasion, of summary dismissal.”<QA1>
It awarded Mr Lerwill B£22,282.56 for lost earnings.<QA1>
Richard Santy, representing Aston Villa, had told the tribunal that Mr Lerwill was under instructions only to write about the club from an historical point of view.<QA1>
Fans objected to an article on Villa’s official website about William McGregor, the founder of the Football League who held every office at the club in the late 19th
century.<QA1>
They assumed it had been penned by Mr Lerwill and posted criticism of him on Heroes and Villains.<QA1>
Mr Lerwill read the jibes and responded “with inappropriate comments in an unprofessional manner”, Mr Santy claimed.<QA1>
But Mr Lerwill told the tribunal he did not use bad language or name anyone at the club and was doing no more than trying to clear his name.<QA1>
He said: “I was defending my reputation as an author by responding to the comments.”<QA1>
Mr Lerwill, who had worked for Villa from early 2007, was dismissed in January last year.<QA1>
Speaking after the case, Mr Lerwill said: “Part of my motivation for taking up the post at Aston Villa was my perception that the club’s new owner, Randy Lerner, was committed
to the club’s heritage.<QA1>
“I had come onto the thread to defend my name in respect of something I was alleged to have written.<QA1>
“This was an important issue to me as a writer and as the club and myself had been endeavouring to sell The Villa Chronicles.<QA1>
“I felt that any attempt at wrongfully besmirching my name could have unfortunate repercussions in respect of future sales.<QA1>
“Unfortunately, the club took the view that I had disobeyed a previous instruction and that I had been rude to Aston Villa fans and critical of other employees of Aston Villa.
<QA1>
“They considered those circumstances were enough for immediate dismissal without formal warning, and, despite my subsequent formal appeal, the club did not consider that a
lesser measure was appropriate.<QA1>
“I wish to state that though this matter is over, I simply feel deep disappointment that it ever occurred and that it has been dragged through twelve months of unnecessary upset.
<QA1>
“On several occasions following my formal appeal to the club I let it be known that I was amenable to a compromise solution but the club evidently did not want to consider an
alternative approach to contesting my claim in full.”<QA1>
Despite the tribunal judgment, a Villa spokesman insisted the club had been right to sack Mr Lerwill.<QA1>
He said: “We are disappointed at the decision.<QA1>
“We value the input of our supporters and acted immediately when one of our employees behaved in a manner the club believed to be unprofessional and inappropriate towards a
number of them.<QA1>
“We stand by our decision to dismiss Mr Lerwill.”<QA1>
ends
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Crikey.
Not a bad amount.
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well it was a daft reason to dismiss him
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<QA1>
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Was it really 12 months? <QA1>
Time flies when you're having fun. <QE2>
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It started boxing day 2009. <QED>
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£22,000 is a very nice compo package for behaving like a patronising tit. <Q-TIP>
The club did the right thing in spirit IMO, but boy did they paid for it. <Q-UNIT>
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H&V having its name dragged through court...fook me, seen it all now.
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“We value the input of our supporters and acted immediately when one of our employees behaved in a manner the club believed to be unprofessional and inappropriate towards a
number of them.
Shame the club cant take that stance with half the playing staff
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Mr Lerwill said he was worried the unwarranted criticism of him would hit sales of his acclaimed 984-page history of the club called The Villa Chronicles.
I must have missed this. Sounds interesting. Anybody read it?
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Mr Lerwill said he was worried the unwarranted criticism of him would hit sales of his acclaimed 984-page history of the club called The Villa Chronicles.
I must have missed this. Sounds interesting. Anybody read it?
I was gifted it by a troublesome relative at the time of the flare up on here, I'm on page 47.
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It's a pity that some other employees who have annoyed the fans couldn't be paid off as inexpensively. <Q The Winged Serpent>
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That money could have paid Habi Daze''s wages for the first half of this week.
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Embarrassing for all involved.
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Embarrassing for all involved.
True enough <Q 'Pay attention Bond, you dopey twat.'>
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I've managed to digest page 1. I'll try page 2 next month.
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Mr Lerwill said he was worried the unwarranted criticism of him would hit sales of his acclaimed 984-page history of the club called The Villa Chronicles.
I must have missed this. Sounds interesting. Anybody read it?
I was going to, but as he's had 22k out of the club I think I'll pass.
<QA1>.
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I had my fill when he was on here
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I don't think he got enough, I think the club were massively draconian firing him for a few harmless internet comments. Sounds like they were determined to get shot of him and used the flimsiest of excuses to do so.
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I don't think he got enough, I think the club were massively draconian firing him for a few harmless internet comments. Sounds like they were determined to get shot of him and used the flimsiest of excuses to do so.
If he was as obnoxious and egotistical at work as he was on here they probably consider it money well spent. <Q cumber>
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It does sound a bit like they couldn't wait to get rid of him.<Q, Q, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble, Grubb>
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Mr Lerwill said he was worried the unwarranted criticism of him would hit sales of his acclaimed 984-page history of the club called The Villa Chronicles.
Is it like some sword and sorcery novel? <Q Only Live Twice>
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It depends on your opinion of what we spend on squad players and weighty, hernia-threatening works of history, but £22,000 for 1,000 pages; Beye gets that for three days running between a few cones at Bodymoor Heath.
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I don't think he got enough, I think the club were massively draconian firing him for a few harmless internet comments. Sounds like they were determined to get shot of him and used the flimsiest of excuses to do so.
I agree, when you consider he moved to the Midlands to do the job, was never given an official warning against club rules and had to maintain himself under the pressure of a tribunal, I doubt he could affor to pay his solicitors, the sum awarded does seem paltry.
Still it gives the lame brains plenty of ammunition to clearly show their uncaring arrogant views. Well done them. Not so well done Villa.
By the way how many of the smart arsed commentators above have published works on the Villa ?
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Exactly who are you referring to?
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I don't think he got enough, I think the club were massively draconian firing him for a few harmless internet comments. Sounds like they were determined to get shot of him and used the flimsiest of excuses to do so.
I agree, when you consider he moved to the Midlands to do the job, was never given an official warning against club rules and had to maintain himself under the pressure of a tribunal, I doubt he could affor to pay his solicitors, the sum awarded does seem paltry.
Still it gives the lame brains plenty of ammunition to clearly show their uncaring arrogant views. Well done them. Not so well done Villa.
By the way how many of the smart arsed commentators above have published works on the Villa ?
You've never played professional football Malc but it's never stopped you posting your smart arsed opinions about it on here.
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Mr Lerwill said he was worried the unwarranted criticism of him would hit sales of his acclaimed 984-page history of the club called The Villa Chronicles.
I must have missed this. Sounds interesting. Anybody read it?
I've got volumes 1 and 2, if anyone wants to come to Cheltenham they can have them <Q in an orderly fashion>
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I don't think he got enough, I think the club were massively draconian firing him for a few harmless internet comments. Sounds like they were determined to get shot of him and used the flimsiest of excuses to do so.
I agree, when you consider he moved to the Midlands to do the job, was never given an official warning against club rules and had to maintain himself under the pressure of a tribunal, I doubt he could affor to pay his solicitors, the sum awarded does seem paltry.
Still it gives the lame brains plenty of ammunition to clearly show their uncaring arrogant views. Well done them. Not so well done Villa.
By the way how many of the smart arsed commentators above have published works on the Villa ?
I have.
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I have no comment to make but wanted to join in the sign-off game. <Q Magazine>
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same here <Qforasong>
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and me < Q talkin' to me? Q talkin' to me? Q talkin' to me? Then who the hell else are you talking... Q talking to me? Well I'm the only one here. Who the fuck do you think you're talking to? Oh yeah? OK>
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Well, if his book is half as tedious and pedantic as many of his posts on the Villa mailing list I used to subscribe to, then I'll give it a miss.
That said, I do think he was dismissed by the club on the flimsiest of pretexts, and for that reason I'm glad he's won his case.
<Q need coolin', baby I'm not foolin'>