A former Watford FC player and coach has won a six-figure compensation for unlawful dismissal.

Nigel Gibbs said his position as assistant manager at Leeds United became untenable after owner Massimo Cellino told him he "could do some cleaning work" at the training ground.

A personality clash with club manager, David Hockaday - himself since sacked - led to Mr Gibbs being demoted to working with under-18 and under-21 players.

And, although he was made to turn up for work when players were on holiday, he was given no jobs to do which matched his status, said Mr Justice Langstaff.

Mr Gibbs joined the club in April 2013 on a £200,000-a-year contract, but was there for only 15 months before his resignation, London's High Court heard.

A Watford supporter, as well as a product of their youth system, Mr Gibbs spent his entire professional career as a right back for the club.

He also holds the club record for the most first team starts.

Today the judge said Mr Gibbs was due £331,426 in damages after ruling his treatment amounted to constructive unlawful dismissal.

Although he will have to give credit for bonuses paid by his new bosses at Tottenham Hotspur, Leeds also faces huge legal costs.

The judge rejected United's claim that Mr Gibbs had "simply chosen" to leave his post, rather than being forced out.

Trouble developed when former club manager Brian McDermott, with whom Mr Gibbs had worked for years at Reading FC, left the club.

He said he "felt loyalty" to Mr McDermott but was told to turn up for work at Elland Road in June 2014, although players were on holiday and there was little to do.

Mr Gibbs then learnt that his name was not on the list of club staff due to fly to Italy for pre-season training, the court heard.

And, when he asked Mr Cellino what he was supposed to do with himself, he said the owner told him "I could do some cleaning work at the training ground".

He told the judge it was "quite obvious" that Mr Cellino no longer wanted him at Leeds.

Mr Hockaday was appointed on June 19 and the judge said his relationship with Mr Gibbs "was not a happy one".

The judge said the general picture was that Mr Gibbs was being "disengaged" from training and given no appropriate work to do..

The crunch came on July 23, when Mr Gibbs received an email telling him to have no further contact or involvement with the first team.

He was ordered to confine himself to working with junior and non-first team players.

In a final showdown, Mr Hockaday told him that he "did not want him to be at the club", the court heard.

Mr Gibbs wrote to Mr Cellino two days later, resigning with immediate effect. Mr Hockaday was himself sacked a month later.

Mr Cellino said he had approached Mr Gibbs in August, during a game at Watford, and asked him if he would return to Leeds as head coach.

But he refused, saying he had first hand experience of how he had been treated by the club's management and had no wish to return.

It was the July 23 email which prompted his resignation and Mr Gibbs had since moved from Milwall to Tottenham, where he now has a permanent contract.

Mr Gibbs' three-year contract with Leeds had been due to expire on June 30 this year.

The judge ruled that his damages must be reduced to reflect any bonuses he receives from Tottenham for work done before that date.