Stuart Calder, an Edinburgh fruit and veg salesman was "absolutely gutted" and no doubt sick as a parrot to lose an employment tribunal case last week.

The 37-year-old Hearts supporter was sacked after he dodged work to see his team play a Uefa Cup match in Bordeaux, and has now seen his unfair dismissal claim fail.

He worked for wholesalers Veitch Moir, acquired by Fyffes group in October last year, and was off sick when he was offered the chance of tickets for the game in France last November.

Calder phoned in asking line manager Richard Coombe for the next four days off to watch the game, but his request was refused. Having decided to go to the match anyway, he was sacked when he returned to work.

Calder admitted he had been in the wrong, but said he had not expected to be fired. He said: "I had been sick for a few days and got offered the tickets. I phoned in when I was better, asking for a holiday. I had worked for the company for nine years and only taken eight weeks’ holiday, so I thought it wouldn’t be a problem.

"I was told I couldn’t have the time off but I went to the game anyway - I wasn’t going to miss a match like that. I thought I might get a final warning but nothing worse. But they sacked me so I took them to tribunal."

The conclusion of the case was sickener for him, but the timing of the verdict really rubbed salt in the wounds. "I have lost everything, especially as I was told I had lost the case this Thursday - the same day that Hearts lost 3-0 to Feyenoord in another Uefa cup tie. I was absolutely gutted," he said.