Six former Newcastle United footballers and one other party have dropped a bid to sue their former financial adviser, Kevin Neal, who they had accused of giving them negligent financial advice.
Neal had been involved with a legal dispute with another ex-client, former Magpie and England international Alan Shearer, which was settled in a confidential manner in June 2017.
In November 2020, International Adviser reported that ex-Newcastle United players Robert Lee, Warren Barton and John Beresford were being represented by Liverpool-based law firm High Street Solicitors.
They were joined by fellow footballers Steve Stone and Paul Kitson, along with retired businessman George Glenister – none of whom were named in the original press statement but who have since been identified in legal documents relating to their collective change of heart.
Not issue any further claims
According to a legal submission by Neal’s solicitor, Howard Kennedy, made in the high court of justice; “the defendants have now consented to the setting aside of the default judgment and withdrawn their claims against Mr Neal with no order as to costs, and they have agreed not to bring any other claims against him going forwards in relation to the matters complained of in those proceedings”.
The solicitor for the defendants, High Street Solicitors, confirmed that, “through me, the defendants have agreed to withdraw their claims against Mr Neal personally and not to issue any further claims again him in relation to these events”.
False statements
Neal’s solicitor subsequently requested that the claim for libel be “considered closed”.
His dispute centred on the above-mentioned press statement, which contained allegations that Neal had acted negligently and in breach of his fiduciary duty towards each of the defendants.
The statement was published in a number of news and media outlets, including International Adviser.
The IA article has since been removed from this website.
