Kevin Keegan felt vindicated after a tribunal awarded him u00a32million in damages from Newcastle for his constructive dismissal from the club last year. Keegan walked out of a u00a33million-a-year contract in September 2008 following a row with the club over the loan signing of Ignacio Gonzalez, sparking a stand-off which has taken more than a year to resolve. The award fell way short of the u00a325million the Keegan had claimed in total.

Keegan said: "I very much hope that the decision of the tribunal now confirms why I felt that I had no option but to resign from the position as manager of the club that I love. The tribunal has found the conduct of the club in forcing a player on me against my wishes represented a breach of my contract of employment.