Eels boss gone over Fitzgerald expenses

Loan drama...Former Eels supremo Denis Fitzgerald. Picture: Mark Evans Source: The Daily Telegraph

THE Parramatta Eels stood down their Leagues Club chief executive after a payment of $45,000 to former club supremo Denis "The Emperor" Fitzgerald's lawyers was discovered by club directors.

Tullio Francesco was chief operating officer of the Leagues Club at the time and signed the $45,000 cheque from club funds to pay for Fitzgerald's personal legal expenses on the day before he was dismissed last year.

A Parramatta Leagues Club cheque was made out to legal firm F.W. Ewart and Ewart to fund Fitzgerald's defamation action against The Daily Telegraph over a series of articles published on the Parramatta elections last year when the new board was swept into power.

Sources have confirmed the majority of the money advanced - $39,000 - was for anticipated costs calculated by the legal firm. The former Eels boss had only been invoiced for $6000 by Ewart and Ewart, then the club's legal firm.

Despite stepping down from his 30-year reign last year, Fitzgerald still occupies high-profile government appointed directorships on both the Sydney Olympic Park Authority and the Parramatta Stadium Trust.

Auditors recently noticed the payment as they were preparing Parramatta's annual report. When questioned by directors, Francesco could not explain why he failed to mention it to the board.

"The chief executive has been asked to take leave until further notice," confirmed Eels chairman Roy Spagnolo last night. "I cannot make any further comment at this stage, other than to say it was a decision made by the board after a lengthy investigation. Other investigations are continuing."

Directors decided at a board meeting on Tuesday night to pursue Fitzgerald for the money.

It is understood Parramatta's annual report - to be mailed to members late next week - lists the $45,000 as an outstanding debt.

When approached last night, Fitzgerald said he was unaware why Francesco had been asked to leave.

"I don't know what the circumstances are but I've heard he's been stood down," Fitzgerald said.

Asked if Francesco had signed a $45,000 cheque before he left to pay for his own legal costs, Fitzgerald said: "I can't comment on anything that he's done.

"I can't comment on this. Part of my agreement is that I can't comment on anything that happened while I was at Parramatta Leagues Club."

Francesco did not return phone calls or text messages yesterday.

Replies

Normo April 2, 2010 at 8:40am

Ron Hilditch has also handed in his resignation, apparently unrelated. The reason I post here is the smh has an article on both incidents and they are both changes to our admin structure. Theres 2 guys who were part of the Fitzgerald years who are gone.
ParraP April 2, 2010 at 9:53am

A change for the better, we can now find a ceo who can turn the club around and finally make some money.
Clint April 2, 2010 at 12:49pm

This is F*CKED!! I hope the Eels board bring him down for this.... Kick him off the other Parramatta boards for his actions and bar him from the club, he really has something to answer for this time!!

How many times did he complain to the newspapers that the club was losing money and that they were not going to make it....
This has really p1ssed me off and for some reason i'm taking this personally, anyone else feel cheated by Fitzy's actions??
Clint April 3, 2010 at 2:01pm

I'd pay to see it !!! Bah ha ha ha

This reply was deleted.

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