Dowiegate Update

The now City boss told Justice Tugenhat that he was prepared for Mr Jordan to be "upset" after the club failed to get promoted back to the Premier League in May 2006 and past experience had taught him that Mr Jordan "would be aggressive and outspoken".

Dowie went on to say: "However,I was not prepared for the way that Simon spoke to me on the telephone and the very abusive,ultra-aggressive, demeaning and angry nature of the call.

"Simon shouted and swore at me constantly. "I was used to Simon being aggressive and swearing,but this was by far the worst I had ever experienced either by Simon or generally in my time in football. This put me on the back foot and I was taken aback."

The court saw written evidence from the Northern Irishman who said: "I believe that I have acted properly and honestly at all times." as well as insisting that there was nothing in the "compromise agreement" under which he left Palace to prevent him taking a job with Charlton.

It was after Palace were knocked out of the play-offs by Watford that a conversation between Dowie and Jordan took place. "During this conversation, Simon criticised me, the team and generally what had been achieved at the club since I had arrived,"Dowie told the court.

He said Mr Jordan had described the team as "a complete failure", but countered by saying that that he had "hugely benefitted" the club financially since his arrival, including an extra £25 million in TV revenues and about £7 million in "parachute" payments from the Premiership.

Dowie also said he had improved player performance, making them more valuable,and gave the example of Andy Johnson, who developed into an England international under his management and was eventually sold by Palace for £8.6 million.

He went on to say the "compromise agreement" under which he left the club meant he gave up his claim to "a potentially large sum of money" by foregoing bonuses on player transfer profits and any claim for compensation over the ending of his contract was "the best out-come for both myself and Crystal Palace".

Again Dowie insisted that it had never been "discussed or agreed" that he would be "moving back up north" or that there would be any limitation on him working for any other club in the future, including Charlton and told the court: "I would never have agreed to such a limitation if it had been suggested by Simon. It was my view that I had reached an agreement with Simon on behalf of Crystal Palace that we would release each other from our on-going contractual obligations and, subject to signing the formal compromise agreement, my employment as team manager of Crystal Palace was finished and all the terms had been agreed."

When Mr Jordan told the media that Mr Dowie was leaving because of the strain of working so far away from his family,Mr Dowie said he did not contradict his boss as he thought he was putting a "public gloss" on his departure "to appease the Crystal Palace fans".

And he told the court that at no point did Mr Jordan tell him that "I could not apply and, if successful, accept the position at Charlton Athletic".

Mr Dowie told the court: "I believe that Simon has brought this claim because I left Crystal Palace, which is what he wanted, and then went to a local rival club which Simon particularly dislikes.I do not think he would have reacted in the same way if I had gone to another club elsewhere in the country."

The final witness was called up and stepped Charlton Athletic's Richard Murray denied approaching Mr Dowie for an interview before he left Palace on May 22 last year. But he did admit that he had phoned Dowie before he left Palace and suggested meeting up after a press conference announcing he would be leaving Selhurst Park, although he insisted he had not made any mention of him becoming Charlton's manager. Mr Dowie says he thought Mr Murray wanted to talk about Palace players who would be of interest to Charlton.

"I did want to meet him," said Mr Murray, who admitted his call could have been viewed as a "nod and wink" to Mr Dowie that he would be considered for Charlton.

But he added: "As I have said many times, he was not my first choice. Billy Davies was. But I was not going to say 'You are totally ruled out'."

Justice Tugenhat adjourned proceedings until Tuesday and is expected to make his decision after hearing closing arguments.