Grays boss threatens legal action in new Sestanovich twist

9:11pm Sunday 1st July 2007

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ANGERED by an FA decision that his club must pay convicted criminal Ashley Sestanovich £14,000 in wages, Grays Athletic boss Mick Woodward has threatened to sue the player for nearly £50,000.

The FA's disciplinary panel ruled that the Blue Square Premier club were wrong to terminate Sestanovich's contract prior to his conviction for conspiracy to rob.

Woodward claims that the FA decision has already cost him £7,000 in fighting it and that this and the £14,000 in wages to the player has meant a rise in admission prices at the club.

He will base his claim for nearly £50,000 on the fact that he needs to recoup the £14,000 and buy another player to replace the ex Sheffield United and Scarborough man.

The decision that Grays owed the wages was made last November and ratified at a Soho Square hearing last week.

Sestanovich made just one appearance for Grays - in a friendly - and Woodward claims he lied to the club about the nature of his forthcoming court appearance when he signed for them.

Sestanovich was sentenced to eight years in prison in April for conspiring to rob in a bungled raid which led to two other men being convicted of murder.

Sestanovich is believed to be appealing against his conviction, with the hearing likely next month or in September.