By Matthew Jones
June 23 2002

Glenn Roeder has hit back at claims by Newcastle that West Ham tapped up Olivier Bernard, insisting his side "haven't done anything wrong". Glenn Roeder has hit back at claims by Newcastle that West Ham tapped up Olivier Bernard, insisting his side "haven't done anything wrong".

Magpies chairman Freddy Shepherd yesterday labelled West Ham "disgraceful" after The Hammers said they had signed Bernard, with the 22-year-old reportedly signing a pre- contract agreement to move to Upton Park after his Newcastle deal expires.

The issue is now to be decided at a special Premiership tribunal on Wednesday after a fuming Shepherd insisted The Magpies still have an option on Bernard for another season.

Shepherd said: "As far as we are concerned, West Ham have welched on an agreement that they would not sign Bernard. That's why we dropped our complaint to the Premiership after West Ham tapped him back in March.

"The Premier League accepted Bernard's contract of two years with another 12 months option when we signed him, so why can't they accept it now ?"
He added in the Newcastle Evening Chronicle: "Whatever you may say about Newcastle United we have always kept our word, which is something West Ham have not done.

"What West Ham have done is disgraceful and I will go down to the tribunal on Wednesday and fight this to the bitter end."

However, former Newcastle star Roeder has hit back in the war of words with The Magpies and says West Ham have been assured that French defender Bernard is free to move to The Boleyn.

He said: "We have been told by Bernard's advisors that he is free to join anyone and we haven't done anything wrong."