Joey Barton pleads not guilty to assault near golf club

Joey Barton has denied assaulting a man in front of his golf club.

The former Premier League footballer from Widnes, Cheshire, and one-time England international, appeared via video link from HMP Liverpool for a plea hearing at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday.

He pleaded not guilty to a charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Kevin Lynch, 51, of Fairway, Huyton, near Huyton and Prescot Golf Club, on March 8.

Barton’s co-defendant, Gary O’Grady, 50, of Huyton, Merseyside, was not asked to enter a plea to the charge on Tuesday.

The former footballer will face a hearing as Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC’s honorary recorder set a date for September 1, with the trial expected to last seven days.

Administrative issues were also discussed during Tuesday’s 15-minute hearing.

While Barton was taken into custody, the judge renewed conditional bail for O’Grady, who was supported in court by several family members.

Former Manchester City and QPR midfielder Barton was born in Huyton and played once for England. He also played for Newcastle, Rangers, Marseille and Burnley before playing in 2017.

He went on to manage Fleetwood Town between 2018 and 2021, before spending two years at Bristol Rovers between 2021 and 2023.

He currently hosts the Common Sense With Joey Barton podcast, described as an “unfiltered” look at sports, society, politics and more.