Middlesbrough settle claims against Monk's backroom staff
Written by Simon Austin — July 31, 2018
MIDDLESBROUGH have settled their High Court claims against both Birmingham City and Garry Monk’s backroom staff.
Boro had been seeking a High Court injunction to prevent first-team coach James Beattie, Head of Performance Sean Rush, goalkeeping coach Darryl Flahavan and Head of Analysis Ryan Needs working with Monk at City until December 28th this year.
The club claimed the quartet had clauses in their contracts preventing them from working together, or with Monk, at a Championship rival until December 28th.
Monk was sacked by Boro in December 2017, before taking the Birmingham job in March 2018. He soon appointed the quartet - who had worked with him at both Boro and Leeds United - to join him at St Andrews.
Birmingham and its backroom team defended the claims, describing the contract clauses as “woefully wide and unreasonable”, and counterclaiming for damages against Boro.
According to a statement released by the North East club, “the parties have now reconciled their differences and agreed confidential settlement terms which bring matters to a conclusion.”
Boro had argued there was a real risk they would lose players to Birmingham if it “continued to employ each member of the backroom team at the same time as each other and/ or Mr Monk”.