THE dispute between Leigh Centurions RL Club and sacked Hilton Park football director Allan Rowley has been settled out of court.

Rowley, now commercial manager at Wigan RLC, said he was "more than happy" with the outcome of a meeting between legal representatives.

The former Leigh forward, who had been the Leigh Club's commercial manager, was dismissed in December by rugby club boss Mick Higgins for allegedly bringing "Leigh RL club into disrepute by offensive comments to the Mayor".

Rowley was compere at a Leigh Past Players' Association event last October when an off-the-cuff "farewell" to the Mayor, former Wigan player Cllr Bernard Coyle, landed him in hot water.

He was suspended from his post and returned from a holiday break to be told he was out of a job. He decided to take the matter to an industrial tribunal, claiming unfair dismissal.

The hearing, scheduled for Tuesday of this week, was cancelled last Friday after both parties came to an amicable agreement.

For Rowley, solicitor Alan Lewis said:"Terms have been settled but we are not at liberty to disclose details.

"Leigh rugby Club and Mr Allan Rowley have resolved their dispute relating to Mr Rowley's conduct at a recent Sportsman's Dinner and, having satisfied themselves that the dispute arose out of a misunderstanding between both parties, now consider this matter to be at an end."

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