COLCHESTER United and Norwich City now await a decision from the Football League following yesterday’s disciplinary hearing over manager Paul Lambert.
COLCHESTER United and Norwich City now await a decision from the Football League following yesterday’s disciplinary hearing over manager Paul Lambert.
Lambert – as well as assistants Ian Culverhouse and Gary Karsa – controversially left the U’s for Carrow Road last August.
Three months of failed compensation talks followed between the two clubs before the U’s eventually reported their League One rivals over the affair for breach of league regulations and misconduct.
The Football League subsequently set-up a disciplinary commission to deal with the hearing, which finally heard both club’s cases at a London venue yesterday.
The disciplinary panel are now considering their verdict, which could take weeks to reach.
Colchester chairman and owner Robbie Cowling has always maintained that he didn’t give Norwich permission to appoint Lambert – just days after the Scotsman had masterminded the U’s incredible 7-1 win at Carrow Road on the opening day of the season.
Canaries chairman Alan Bowkett maintained in February that his club made a ‘lawful approach’ for Lambert and that an ‘over generous’ offer of compensation had been made.
With two games to go this season, Lambert’s Norwich have already wrapped up the title and promotion to the Championship, while Aidy Boothroyd’s Colchester have endured a end-of-season collapse to miss out on a top-six finish.
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