Joey Barton trial: Manager accused of Daniel Stendel attack

Mr Barton was managing League One side Fleetwood at the time of the alleged assault

Ex-footballer Joey Barton caused serious facial injuries when he pushed over a rival manager after a tense 4-2 defeat, a court has heard.

Mr Barton, 38, boss of League One side Fleetwood at the time, is accused of chasing Daniel Stendel into the tunnel at Barnsley's Oakwell Stadium.

Once inside, Sheffield Crown Court heard, the defendant shoved the German in the back and caused him to tumble into the structure.

Mr Barton denies a charge of assault.

Prosecutor Ian Goldsack told jurors there had been tensions between the two sides when they met earlier in the season at Fleetwood, including a handshake that Mr Stendel "took to be an intimidatory gesture".

'Provocative celebrations'

These tensions carried on into the match at Barnsley seven months later, the prosecutor said, and the defendant had confronted Mr Stendel both during the match and after the final whistle.

After the defeat, Mr Goldsack said, Mr Barton was "still very worked up" and used some foul language towards Mr Stendel, which he "did not fully understand but realised he was being insulted". As players and staff left the pitch, Mr Goldsack said, the defendant ran past a number of people and entered the tunnel behind Mr Stendel.

"Mr Stendel felt a push from behind and fell forward, hitting his face against that tunnel structure. He was knocked to the ground and when he looked up he saw the defendant passing him," he said.

"He believed him to be responsible for what happened."

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He suggested the defendant's mood "was perhaps not helped" by the previous defeat, a player being sent off "just after it looked as though Fleetwood might get back in the game" and "provocative celebrations" upon Barnsley's third goal by first team coach Christopher Stern.

Jurors were shown photographs of Mr Stendel's injuries, the most serious of which included a dislodged upper right incisor and associated nerve damage.

They were also shown video footage of Mr Barton running into the tunnel behind Mr Stendel, followed by the structure shaking. Further footage showed a bloodied Mr Stendel being helped back to the changing room.

Mr Goldsack said jurors must decide "whether Mr Stendel fell forwards in that tunnel area, colliding with the tunnel structure and thereby sustaining those injuries, as the result of an unlawful assault and, if he did, whether it was Mr Barton who is responsible for that assault".

Daniel Stendel, pictured in September 2019, felt Mr Barton had behaved in an "intimidatory" manner at a previous fixture

Earlier, 12 jurors were selected after being asked questions including "have you heard of Joey Barton?" and "do you have any opinions about Joey Barton?"

Potential jurors were also asked whether they were at the match or watched it on TV and also whether they were Barnsley or Fleetwood Town supporters.

The jury has been told that Mr Stendel will give evidence by videolink from Germany on Tuesday.