Former Premier League Player Joey Barton Denies Assault Charge Involving Golf Club

The 43-year-old ex-midfielder for Manchester City and Newcastle appeared via videolink from prison in Liverpool for the plea hearing at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday.

He entered a not guilty plea to the charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Kevin Lynch, 51, at Fairway in Huyton, near Liverpool, on the 8th of March.

Gary O’Grady, 50, of Huyton and Barton’s co-defendant, was not required to plead at the hearing on Tuesday.

Earlier proceedings revealed that the defendants had been drinking with Lynch at the Huyton and Prescot Golf Club prior to the alleged assault.

Lynch, a former non-league football manager and the founder of special education institution NexGen Academy, reportedly suffered severe injuries to his eye.

Judge Andrew Menary set the trial date for September 1st, expecting proceedings to last approximately seven days during a 15-minute hearing that also covered administrative issues.

Barton, hailing from Widnes in northwest England, has been remanded in custody, while O’Grady’s conditional bail was reaffirmed, with the support of several family members present in court on Tuesday.

During his football career, Barton earned one cap for England and played for renowned clubs including Scottish giants Rangers and French side Marseille.

He currently hosts a podcast titled Common Sense With Joey Barton, which offers an “unfiltered” perspective on various topics including sports, society, and politics.