Newcastle and their former manager, Kevin Keegan, may have to wait until the week after next to learn the outcome of their compensation wrangle.
A Premier League independent arbitration panel hearing drew to a close on Friday, and judgement has been reserved.
In a statement from the League Managers Association, who have been representing Keegan, chief executive Richard Bevan said: "Having heard the evidence from both sides, the panel has reserved judgement, and there will be no further comment on the process until they have published their findings."
Panel members have spent two weeks hearing the evidence in Keegan's case for constructive dismissal, which he launched following his departure from St James' Park a little more than a year ago.
The former England manager took action after alleging he had effectively been forced out of the club eight months into his second spell in charge.
He claimed his position had become untenable after the deadline day arrivals of Spanish striker Xisco and loan signing Ignacio Gonzalez, both allegedly without his knowledge, as the recruitment team, then headed by executive director (football) Dennis Wise, went about its business.
Newcastle's counter-claim is that Keegan knew the set-up and that, by walking out of the club, had broken his contract.
A mutual compensation package of £2million was written into the deal when the adopted Geordie returned to Tyneside as Sam Allardyce's replacement in January last year, meaning the club had to pay if he was sacked and that he had to if he walked away.
However, it is understood Keegan is not only seeking the value of the remaining part of his three-year contract, but also compensation for loss of future earnings.
Press Association Sport revealed on Thursday that the worst-case scenario could leave the Magpies with a bill far in excess of the £9million reported value of Keegan's claim.
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Paperboy, 18, He supported Newcastle United man and boy. He went to SJP regularly with his dad and wanted to play for the club. He managed the club for five years and rebuilt us into a very good side.
Thank you to all the mackems once again for kind words and tributes and I mean that sincerely, you have been magnificent but for paperboy's benefit, he had no affinity to Sunderland football club whatsoever other than them being neighbours to the club he loved.
Paperboy
Look here you awld git, stop trying to stir it you fool; this is NOT a time for local-rivally bickering, but a time of remebrance and tribute for a great man.
A man of your age should know better!
Paperboy?? What was Sir Bobby then?? apart from an all round great bloke!
Is that a FACT mike K??
necastleian1 (#11) I agree that since Sir Bobby came from County Durham, he was not a Mackem as long as you understand that, by the same token, he was not a Geordie either!
£2M sounds a pretty good severence package to me. Consider this: Your nice Kev has walked out on several clubs, and the national side too come to think of it, he has a lot of previous for this behaviour. My recolection is that he's walked out of every manager's job he's had. I'm not decrying his excellent record for getting results as a manager but if I was a club chairman I'd be very wary before appointing him. Ashley warned him that there was a very limited budget for new players - Kegan had a wish list that would have made even Abromovich blanch. He also knew he was working with Dennis Wise as Director of football. No surprise then that Wise's selection wasn't Kev's.
How much is a 4 bedroom detatched on the newly approved St James housing development??? Keegan Drive or Ashley Close would be fine..
asrehole ian is typical of mackem 'fans' on here; he doesn't even attend games.
Check out match-casts when sunderland are playing (even at home), and he is posting comments!!!!!!
REAL fans attend games!
I am the solicitor representing my client Mr. Tony K, may I warn the people commenting on here, that my client has copyright on the word FACT! anyone using this word without my client"s permission will feel the full force of the law upon them! you have been warned
Davebax:
That would mean that Ian is probably sleeping with his sister and his mum. Same person actually.
And any offspring would be his son, nephew and brother, all at the same time. They would probably call him Sean A.
Ian, post 7: You sound like a very bitter @#$% with absolute no idea about football or the history of Newcastle United. So much bitterness from - I`ll bet your about 5 or 6 years old mentally - a poor sad child.
Go back to your third world sunderland and get an education. You never know they might let you of that third world where you live and live where real people live, but that won`t happen because of your pedo` connections.
ian comment 7.. sir bobby robson was from durham therefore not a mackem...FACT. any more words of wisdom you total excuse for a human being.
Some right asreholes commenting on here.
FACT and both at the same time!
Fact: ian sleeps with his sister and so does his dad!
Mighty toon my rs what is so mighty about the toon please look at the points below mighty toon.
Fact. Not won anything in 50 or 60 years.
Fact. Most over rated set of players, Sheila never won anything with the Scum
Fact. Ugly mush never won anything with the scum.
Fact. Drug head beer swilling Gazoline never won anything with the scum.
Fact. Given used his head and will win something but not with the scum.
Fact Tony K is gay
Fact Cameron is a Boro fan
Fact Hutch is butch
Fact Mike Ashley is the greates man alive
Fact Your so called God KK will take the money and loads of it, and run
Fact You all wear shell suits
Fact Your all muggers and drug pushers
Fact Sir Bobby god rest his sole was a Makem
Fact 10
tom, tom, tom. Such bitterness and a lousy memory.
So sad.
keegan gettin his job back is soooo believable dave. did you write the script for the wizaed of oz. and as far as the mighty toon goes. look back in their entire history and tell me what date were they ever mighty. It's all myth.
they're team with a lot of supporters. that's it. well i say a lot. i don't mean like a man. utd lot.
Keegan loves Newcastle and Ashley needs a new manager to take them back to the Premiership. Give Keegan his old job back and stop interfering Ashley like u shud have done at the start of last seasonthen the magpies might not have been relegated.
These 2 guys need their heads banging together for the greater good of the mighty toon. (Liverpool fan)
Ashley vs. Keegan. who is loosing? Newcastle fans of course
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