Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill today accepted substantial undisclosed libel damages over a website claim that he had attempted to induce a player to break his contract.
The allegations, which appeared on 365 Media Group’s transfer gossip site last April, had caused severe damage to Mr O’Neill’s reputation as well as embarrassment and distress, said solicitor, Paul Hackney.
Mr O’Neill was manager of Celtic for five years until 2005. He took up his position with Aston Villa the following year and, during his first season, signed two Celtic players with the full permission of the Scottish club.
Mr Hackney told Mr Justice Eady at the High Court in London that the website allegations suggested Mr O’Neill was in breach of the rules of the FIFA, Premier League and Football Association, and of being guilty of what is known as “tapping up”.
He said 365 had placed an apology and withdrawal on its website and had paid Mr O’Neill a substantial sum in damages and legal costs.
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