Tottenham Hotspurs chairman Alan Sugar today won Stg£100,000 in a UK High Court libel damages over a newspaper article which dubbed him miserly in his stewardship of the club.
The 53-year-old millionaire businessman had sued the Daily Mailover a December 1999 story which said he must come out of his "counting house" and give manager George Graham the cash to buy high class players.
Associated Newspapers and soccer writer Mr Jeff Powell had denied libel and pleaded fair comment.
Mr Sugar had denied in evidence that it was his fault that Spurs had not won the Premiership title.
He said that during his time at White Hart Lane, nearly £100 million gross had been spent on the club, with Graham appointed in October 1998 to build a successful side.
"All I've ever tried to do is my best for this football club.
"I can't help it if managers went out and bought the wrong players. I can only provide the money.
"To see this rubbish here - and it's total rubbish - has just devastated me," he said.
A spokesman for the newspaper said afterwards: "This case was about freedom of expression.
"Jeff Powell and the Daily Mailwere defending their right to comment in hard-hitting terms on a matter of public interest."
PA