A High Court judge ordered West Brom boss Tony Pulis last week to pay £3.77 million in damages to former club Crystal Palace over his controversial departure from the south London outfit in August 2014.
The decision comes after Pulis appealed the initial March verdict of a Premier League mediation panel, which found the Welshman used deceitful tactics to secure early payment of a £2-million bonus from Palace owner Steve Parish. The dispute stemmed from Pulis' belief that he was due a reward for steering the club out of relegation.
Pulis left Palace just 48 hours before the new season in a move officially stated as "mutual consent." The panel, however, determined the 58-year-old's behaviour was "disgraceful" and with the intention of leaving the team "in the lurch."
The case then proceeded to the commercial court of Sir Michael Burton, who dismissed the appeal in a 32-page ruling published Monday.
The bonus in question was scheduled to be paid by Aug. 31, 2014, but Pulis had requested early receipt of the funds with the understanding that he wanted to buy a plot of land for his children.
That claim was debunked by the mediation panel, which concluded there was no pressing need for the money because "at no time was there a plot of land on the market which Mr. Pulis was remotely close to purchasing."
Sir Burton agreed, saying there was a "lack of evidence" to corroborate Pulis' reasoning.
Pulis also argued in his defence that a "heated" players' meeting on Aug. 12 forced his exit, citing a breakdown in his relationship with Palace.
However, the panel resolved that the meeting was held four days earlier on Aug. 8. Parish produced taxi receipts and telecommunications evidence to show he wasn't even at Palace's training facility on the day Pulis said he held talks.
The high judge scrutinised the complaints and Pulis' porous defence before arriving at the decision - which had been made in private - that there was no substance to the manager's appeal.
Pulis joined West Brom in January 2015.
