A tribunal awarded Mark McCammon almost £70,000

by Alan McGuinness

Gillingham FC have officially lodged an appeal against a tribunal judgement that found the club sacked a former player as an act of racial victimisation.

Striker Mark McCammon was awarded almost £70,000 following the first case of its kind to come before an employment tribunal.

The 33-year-old also claimed the club docked his wages, refused him treatment for an injury and fined him for not turning up in the snow.

McCammon, who was awarded £68,728 after a four-day tribunal, alleged he and other black players were treated differently from white players.

The club, which denied the allegations, and black footballers who have played for the Gills expressed shock at the ruling.

McCammon was the highest paid player at the club when he joined in 2008, but left less than three years later after scoring only five goals in 62 appearances.

The dispute came to a head at Gillingham's Priestfield stadium

The row came to a head in a confrontation between McCammon and then manager Andy Hessenthaler in his office.

It was after the striker and his two housemates, Curtis Weston and Josh Gowling, were ordered come in - despite what they claimed were "treacherous conditions" due to the snow.

The tribunal ruled he had been sacked as an act of racial victimisation because no investigation was made into his claim of racism.

A claim of race victimisation by detriment, a legal term for when someone is treated unfavourably because they have made a race discrimination claim was not upheld.