Former footballer Joey Barton has been remanded in custody after appearing in court charged with an assault near a golf club.
The 43-year-old, from Widnes, Cheshire, is accused of assault occasioning grievous bodily harm along with a second man, Gary O’Grady, 50, from Huyton, Merseyside.
They appeared in the dock at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday afternoon and spoke to confirm their names, addresses and dates of birth.
The case was sent to Liverpool Crown Court, where the men will appear for a plea hearing on April 7.
District Judge James Hatton told Barton, who wore a navy blue jumper, he would be remanded in custody until that hearing. O’Grady, in a grey tracksuit, was released on conditional bail.
The men are accused of attacking Kevin Lynch at Fairway, Huyton, on Sunday.
Emergency services were called at around 9pm on Sunday after a man suffered serious injuries to his face and body near Huyton and Prescot Golf Club. He is in a serious but stable condition in hospital, Merseyside Police said.
The two defendants and the victim all appear on England Golf lists as members of the Huyton and Prescot Golf Club.
Earlier, at a High Court hearing on Tuesday over a libel claim involving Barton, Gervase de Wilde, representing former England footballer Eni Aluko, said his instructing solicitor had “received a call from a duty solicitor in a police station in Liverpool” shortly before the hearing.
Mr de Wilde told the court on Tuesday that Barton, who has managed Fleetwood Town and Bristol Rovers, “was arrested yesterday and is currently being held in custody”.
Former Manchester City and QPR midfielder Barton has one England cap and also played for Newcastle, Rangers, Burnley and Marseille.
He now hosts podcast Common Sense With Joey Barton, which is described as an “unfiltered” look at issues in sport, society, politics and more.