Sheffield Utd claim tribunal success on Tevez saga

English Championship side Sheffield United said Tuesday that a Football Association arbitration hearing had ruled in their favour of their compensation claim against West Ham over the Carlos Tevez transfer saga.

United were relegated at the end of the 2006-07 season, Tevez making a massive contribution as West Ham clawed their way to safety.

The Argentine striker scored the winner as the Hammers won at Manchester United on the final day of the season to clinch their revival at the Blades' expense.

The Premier League fined the Hammers a record 5.5million million pounds (nine million dollars) for fielding Tevez and compatriot Javier Mascherano despite their being ineligible to play under third-party ownership rules following complex transfers to West Ham.

They were found to have been partially-owned by businessman Kia Joorabchian's Media Sports Investment (MSI) company.

Tevez last year joined Manchester United and Liverpool snapped up Mascherano.

Sheffield United first appealed to the league to be reinstated in the English Premiership but that failed so they instead moved to exact a financial settlement.

In a statement on their official website, www.sufc.co.uk, they said they had been successful.

Media reports said the club want some 30 million pounds for their demotion with chairman Kevin McCabe having previously stated that relegation cost United at least 50 million pounds in lost revenues.

McCabe said: “I can confirm that both clubs have been notified of the ruling. The arbitration panel has awarded in our favour.

“The matter is still legally in process so I do not wish to comment any further until we have completed that process.”

A West Ham spokesperson told BBC Radio following the news of the tribunal ruling that “we need to digest the full findings of the arbitration panel and will consult our lawyers on the next steps we might take before making any further comment.”