TONY McGill must pay Bolton Wanderers £99,000 and sports agency SEM £31,000 in costs after losing a lengthy legal battle analysing a transfer completed seven years ago.

The court heard Gavin McCann befriended SEM’s Dave Sheron as an Everton player in 1995 but was unhappy at being landed with a tax bill and felt “let down” by the agency’s Jeffrey Weston.

The midfielder had first become acquainted with Tony McGill in 1998.

Mr McGill claimed that in the run-up to a meeting with Mr McCann on April 6, 2007, there was a spike in calls between the pair because they were discussing Mr McCann’s future.

The agent said Wanderers scout Jack Chapman had told him Mr McCann was a player that “he liked”, so he arranged a meeting with Mr McCann at the Preston Marriott hotel.

Mr McGill claimed in court that they agreed he would pursue a two-year contract extension with Villa, paying £26,000-a-week.

In early May, Mr McCann sent Mr McGill a text which read: “Gilly. Next time you see the weirdo ask him to let me go.”

This text, the court was told, referred to Villa manager Martin O’Neill, who Judge David Waksman described as a “thoughtful and impressive” witness.

The judge agreed that Mr McGill then contacted people at several clubs about Mr McCann, including Bolton scout Dave Worthington.

Mr O’Neill confirmed that on Friday May 12, he gave Mr McGill a £1 million asking price for McCann.

Mr McGill claimed to have discussed McCann’s future at Wigan on May 23, and said manager Paul Jewell or his assistant Chris Hutchings tipped off Mr Sheron about his involvement.

In his written judgement, Judge Waksman said: “The obvious inference which I draw is that Mr Sheron got wind of Mr McCann’s planned move and Mr McGill’s role in it and decided to try to get involved as an agent himself.”

Wanderers manager Sammy Lee and coach Frank McParland claimed in court to have met SEM representatives in two meetings at the Neighbourhood Restaurant in Liverpool in May, 2007.

The pair said Steve Horner, from SEM, suggested McCann’s name, while Mr Horner suggested it was the Wanderers staff.

On the deal being completed Judge Waksman said: “The only sensible conclusion is that SEM, through Mr Sheron, decided to try and poach him based in particular on the relationship which Mr Sheron had with him.

“The ‘spikes’ in the mobile contact between them support this.”

Mr McGill has been given until October 15 to pay the court costs.