Ashley halts legal action

Sorry bluebell , too late

MIKE Ashley’s Sports Direct chain today scrapped their court action against Rangers chairman Dave King.

The firm’s legal team told the High Court in London that they were no longer pursuing litigation against the Ibrox chief over an alleged breach of a gagging order .

It ends a long-running dispute between two sides in which the sportswear boss sensationally tried to have King jailed for contempt of court.

Mr Justice Peter Smith gave his approval for the case to end at a High Court hearing in London this afternoon and described the case as “ridiculous”.

Lawyers for Sports Direct told the judge the firm had agreed to pay all lawyers’ bills – estimated to total around £400 000 – run up during the litigation.

The row erupted in the summer on the back of an interview King gave to Sky Sports journalist Jim White during which – Sports Direct claimed – he broke the terms of the confidentiality agreement over the merchandise deal between Rangers and Sports Direct.

But in written judgement issued last month, Mr Justice Smith said he was “completely unpersuaded” that the Rangers chairman was speaking on behalf of the club in what was seen as a personal interview at his home in South Africa.

The Judge had also accused Ashley of having a “vendetta” against the Rangers chairman and questioned why the case was brought court while condemning what he described as “muscular tactics” on the Sports Direct side.

He said bringing the case to court was “utterly disproportionate compared with what benefits would ensue”.

He added that it was “undoubtedly the case that Sports Direct International’s whole procedure is an abuse and it should be dismissed for that reason”.

Last month’s damning written judgement had already effectively dismissed Sports Direct’s attempts to have King found in breach of the gagging order.

Laudrup

I posted first but was using the wrong browser and had to put it in an old article..check most updated! Good news tho mate,fatty scared of the King

This article > Laudrups

Mon the Scottish league board