Jordan turned down Bruce's resignation

Bruce handed in his resignation to Eagles' chairman Simon Jordan several weeks ago, but it was not accepted.

Control of first-team affairs at the club have subsequently been handed over to Steve Kember.

In issuing the injunction, the judge agreed that Palace could suffer a loss if Bruce left the club.

The club had asserted that they could lose millions of pounds as a result of lost promotion prospects if Bruce left, especially if he went to a near rival.

They also argued that there would be expense in finding a new, equally good manager.

But Bruce's defence argued that any loss would be made good by their client "or whoever", and that he had pledged not to seek to employ Crystal Palace senior managerial staff or players.

The judge described Bruce, who earns a basic annual salary of £260,000, as a charismatic "whizzkid manager".

He also said that Bruce was an "extraordinarily famous person" who had enjoyed a wonderful playing career and then "yanked" Palace from the bottom to the top of the First Division.