Football football match descended into violence, jurors told

Steve Green was knocked out and left with a fractured right cheek bone following the clash with opponent Shaun Dallimore during a Wessex League match, Southampton Crown Court was told.

Mr Green (below), who plays in central midfield for Hythe & Dibden, was injured in their first division home match against Tadley Calleva at their Ewart Recreation Ground last November.

The court was told how the incident happened after Hythe had been awarded a free kick near the Tadley penalty area shortly before half-time.

Mr Green said there was the usual pushing and shoving and jostling for position when someone stood on his right foot. 

He said: "I turned round and saw it was the number four for Tadley. I said: 'What are you doing?' and called him an idiot. I was a bit flippant."

Mr Green said the player then stood on his foot again and was then told, 'I will smash you in a minute.' It was said in an aggressive manner.' 

"We were not even a yard apart. The free was taken. It went over my head and I turned to run into the penalty box where the ball was being played. The no 4 turned round, grabbed my shirt by my shoulders with both hands and headbutted me to the right side of my face. I went to the floor."

Mr Green said he was unconscious for about six minutes.

He added: "The next thing I knew was the physio saying to me I had a head injury, there was a lot of blood coming out of my nose and to stay still.”

Mr Green said he was disorientated and initially didn't realise how badly his face had been damaged. 

He asked to come back onto the pitch but the physio said there was "no chance." 

The court heard Mr Green was taken by his wife, Sian, to hospital where he was found to have suffered the fracture.

Mrs Green, who had been standing by the home team dugout, described how she watched the incident happen.

She told the court: “Steve fell straight to the floor head down. I realised he wasn't moving. He stayed there for some time.”

Dallimore, 24, of Woodlands Road, Baughurst, Tadley, denies inflicting grievous bodily harm.

He told jurors he had been playing centre back and it had been a normal game.

He said if he stepped on Mr Green's foot, it was not deliberate and denied threatening to “smash” the other player and grabbing him.

Dallimore claimed the other player had pinched him at the free kick. “It happens in football, it's a way of winding each other up. I didn't react in any way.”

After the free kick had been taken, the ball was cleared but Hythe won it back, and played back in. 

He said: “I ran out to win the ball. There were one or two players running in. I dropped my head to try and win the ball and my head clashed with his face.

“I didn't look to see what had happened. I carried on playing to the whistle.”

Proceeding.