In February 2010, five months after Newell's sacking from Grimsby Town, he began court proceedings to sue Grimsby and John Fenty, claiming he was owed £53,845.61 in loss of earnings as well as claiming a drunk Fenty had slammed a chair on the floor and pulled on Newell's tie following his final game in charge. The two parties eventually settled out of court and agreed on a sum of £5000, with Newell's eventual reason for being sacked revealed as gross misconduct.