Former Premier League footballer Joey Barton denies charges in golf club attack case

The 43 year old former Manchester City and Newcastle United midfielder connected to the session remotely from HMP Liverpool for the plea appearance at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday.

He entered a not guilty plea concerning the intentional causing of grievous bodily harm to 51 year old Kevin Lynch at the Fairway spot in Huyton close to Liverpool on 8 March.

Gary O'Grady, aged 50 and from Huyton, who is the co accused with Barton, was not required to provide a plea regarding the allegation during Tuesdays proceedings.

Details from a prior court session indicated that the accused individuals had been consuming alcohol alongside Lynch at Huyton and Prescot Golf Club ahead of the supposed assault.

Lynch, previously a manager in non league football and the creator of the special needs educational institution NexGen Academy, allegedly endured significant damage to his eye.

In a 15 minute court session that covered various procedural elements, Judge Andrew Menary scheduled the trial for 1 September, projecting a duration of seven days.

Barton, residing in Widnes in northwest England, continues to be held in custody, whereas the judge maintained conditional bail for O'Grady, who received support from multiple family members present in court on Tuesday.

During his football career, Barton secured one international appearance for England and had periods with Scottish club Rangers and the French team Marseille.

At present, he runs the podcast Common Sense With Joey Barton, presented as a straightforward exploration of topics in sports, society, politics, and beyond.