Assault charge footballer tells court he hopped over fan to protect injured foot

Sheffield United star Oli McBurnie is accused of stamping on a Nottingham Forest supporter following a game in May.

Sheffield United footballer Oli McBurnie denies a single charge of assault by beating (Jacob King/PA) (PA Wire)

Sheffield United star Oli McBurnie has denied stamping on a pitch-invading fan, claiming he hopped over the alleged victim to protect his injured foot.

Prosecutors allege the 26-year-old Scotland striker suffered “a loss of temper and control” and twice stamped on Nottingham Forest supporter George Brinkley after United’s Championship play-off semi-final defeat in May.

Mr Brinkley, 27, told a court on Wednesday that he was singled out among hundreds of fans on the pitch at the City Ground and attacked, after telling the star: “You’re shit at football.”

A social media video of the incident, which went viral, has been played to McBurnie’s trial, which prosecutors allege shows stamping motions.

Giving evidence in his defence at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, the player said he was wearing a protective boot at the time of the incident, after spending six weeks out injured with three broken metatarsal bones and a torn ligament.

McBurnie, of Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, told the court: “About a week before I was allowed to start putting pressure back on to that foot.

“It was like learning to walk again a little bit.”

Describing the pitch invasion as “manic to say the least”, McBurnie denied being angry after United’s penalty shoot-out defeat.

“It was more consolement with the rest of the boys,” he said.

I was just concerned for me and my mates. There was a lot of people on the pitch. I just wanted to get my teammates and friends back into the tunnel to safety

Oli McBurnie

Explaining why he went towards Mr Brinkley, McBurnie said he was going to the aid of teammate Rhian Brewster, after seeing Blades captain Billy Sharp falling to the floor with a man in a yellow shirt running away from him.

The court has heard a Forest season ticket-holder, aged 30, was handed a 24-week jail sentence two days after he head-butted Sharp, causing an injury to his mouth.

McBurnie told the district judge who was trying his case: “When I saw Billy go down the initial reaction is shock.

“It was kind of hard to believe.

“Literally seconds later I have turned round and I see kind of another melee – what I thought was another one of the players being attacked.

“I was just concerned for me and my mates. There was a lot of people on the pitch. I just wanted to get my teammates and friends back into the tunnel to safety.”

I was using my arms for balance - it was kind of a hopping motion. It's hard to get your balance with so many people and obstacles in the way

Oli McBurnie

Asked by his barrister, Lisa Judge, what he was doing during the alleged assault, McBurnie answered: “Trying to find my balance. I am trying my best to stay out of his way.

“Literally there is no space. There is nowhere else for me to go but to the right-hand side. My left foot is on the floor within his two legs.

“I was using my arms for balance – it was kind of a hopping motion. It’s hard to get your balance with so many people and obstacles in the way.”

At the time of the incident, McBurnie said he thought there was “zero contact” with Mr Brinkley.

McBurnie also denied squirting water at Forest fans sitting near the dug-out, and said comments from home fans were aimed at injured United players and other club staff up to 40 times during the match.

I had just been out injured for six weeks with one of the worst injuries of my life. If you think I would risk making it worse over a fan then you don't know me very well

Oli McBurnie

Mr Brinkley’s claim the alleged stamping was a response to earlier banter was “not what happened at all,” McBurnie said.

Asked if he took exception to being called a “shit footballer”, McBurnie asserted: “It goes with the territory, I guess. I am kind of used to it by now.”

During cross-examination from prosecutor Simon Jones, Leeds-born McBurnie added: “Being a footballer, you get told all the time that you are not very good at things.

“It’s just normal. You just get on with your day.”

Asked by Mr Jones if he assaulted Mr Brinkley in a “red mist”, McBurnie told the prosecutor: “I had just been out injured for six weeks with one of the worst injuries of my life.

“If you think I would risk making it worse over a fan then you don’t know me very well. I am a nice guy and I take my career very seriously.”

McBurnie denies a single charge of assault by beating. The trial continues.