An independent arbitration hearing has ruled in favour of the Blades in their claim for compensation from West Ham United.

Click here to listen to informed debate on the arbitration hearing in our SportsTalk Special.

Click here to read the full story.

Here is a timeline of how the story unfolded:

August 31, 2006: West Ham pull off a major coup by signing Carlos Tevez and his Argentina team-mate Javier Mascherano, whose contracts were previously held by Kia Joorabchian's MSI company.

March 2: West Ham are charged by the Premier League for breaching their rules in relation to the signings of Tevez and Mascherano.

April 27: West Ham are fined £5.5million but spared a points deduction after pleading guilty to breaking Premier League rules. A Premier League panal verdict also rules "the registration of Carlos Tevez can be terminated by the FA Premier League" but Tevez is later cleared to play on for the Hammers.

May 13: Tevez scores the winning goal in 1-0 defeat to Manchester United which ensures West Ham avoid relegation.

May 16: Sheffield United file "arbitration proceedings" against the Premier League in a bid to overturn the decision not to deduct points from West Ham. Premier League chairman Sir Dave Richards and chief executive Richard Scudamore send a six-page letter to all 20 club chairmen defending the decision.

May 22: The Premier League agree to set up an arbitration tribunal to rule on Sheffield United's complaints over the affair.

June 13: Sheffield United plc chairman Kevin McCabe threatens to turn to the European Commission to seek compensation if the independent arbitration panel reject their bid to overturn their relegation.

July 3: Sheffield United lose their legal challenge against the Premier League after an arbitration panel dismiss their claim over the Tevez affair.

July 4: The Blades investigate the possibility of a High Court appeal, on the basis that the arbitration panel made an "error in law" in not referring the Tevez case back to the original independent three-man panel which fined West Ham in May.

July 13: Following a private hearing at the High Court, Sheffield United's attempt to gain leave to appeal the arbitration panel's decision is refused.

August 16: Sheffield United announce their intention to sue West Ham for cost of relegation from Premier League. West Ham describe the action as "desperate".

September 23, 2008: An independent arbitration hearing rules in favour of Sheffield United in their claim for compensation from West Ham.

Click on the links below for more Blades news:
Warnock calls for Scudamore to quit.
Blackwell will have millions to spend.
Hammer horror show cast shadow over football.
Tevez timeline.
Listen to our experts give their verdict on the Blades podcast.