Ex-coach sues FA for £700,000

The Football Association are being sued for up to £700,000 in compensation by former coach Les Reed.

Reed, who was assistant Under-21 coach and director of technical development, says Trevor Brooking sacked him without notice on 19 May.

In the latest problem to hit the FA - who are still searching for a chief executive to replace Mark Palios - Reed is claiming he was sacked without legal justification.

Reed, who had a contract until July 2006, is seeking damages to cover his £154,000-a-year salary. He also wants a bonus of £180,000, which would have been paid at the end of his contract, plus car allowances, pension and health benefits to cover losses from his dismissal that could total nearly £680,000.

He started his job in August 2001 and will claim that Brooking, the FA's director of football development, told him that he had done nothing to deserve dismissal.

An FA spokesman said: "There is a contractual dispute between Les Reed and the FA, but any details will remain confidential."