Having built himself a strong reputation at Reading after a quick rise from reserve coach to caretaker manager and then full-time boss, Pardew drew the attention of West Ham. He had turned Reading from relegation candidates to the brink of the Premier League, and newly relegated West Ham wanted him to take them back to the top division. Unfortunately for both parties, Reading chairman John Madejski wasn't happy with West Ham poaching his manager and he refused the Londoners permission to talk to Pardew. That prompted the manager to resign in order to force the issue, but Madejski responded by threatening an injunction against the move, prompting the move a disgrace. Ultimately, the Reading chairman had to drop his action - in exchange for £380,000 compensation - but he still wasn't happy with his old employee: "What has happened is totally wrong. I don't think contracts are worth the paper they're written on. "Contracts should be adhered to, not just ripped up every time something better comes along. I think it's a disgrace. The contract took three months to negotiate and was totally ignored. It's not right."
