Gavin McCann referred to his former manager Martin O'Neill as a "weirdo" in a text message, a court heard yesterday, a day before O'Neill himself is due to give evidence.
Agent Tony McGill is claiming that Bolton Wanderers chairman Phil Gartside failed to pay him a fee of £300,000 out of McCann's £1 million move from Aston Villa to Bolton in 2007.
The message from McCann read: 'Gilly - next time you speak to the wierdo (sic), tell him to let me go.' McGill's barrister confirmed that the text was referring to O'Neill and was a "vivid demonstration" of the relationship between McGill and McCann.
McGill claimed that Bolton brought in sports agency SEM to represent them "at the last minute" and paid them the £300,000 fee due to him.
Despite the unkind tone of the message, the agent is hopeful that O'Neill will back up his claim. The Ireland manager, no stranger to the courtroom as a spectator, is due to give evidence in Manchester today.
All defendants deny the claims. The trial, which is expected to last all week, continues.
Picture credit: David Maher / SPORTSFILE
