A Nottingham Forest fan alleged to have been stamped on by Sheffield United striker Oli McBurnie has claimed he was singled out and attacked after telling the star: “You’re s*** at football, I’m better than you.”
George Brinkley told Nottingham Magistrates’ Court he genuinely feared for his life after being put in a headlock by McBurnie’s team-mate, Rhian Brewster, during a pitch invasion following last season’s Championship play-off semi-final at the City Ground.
Prosecutors claim Scotland international McBurnie, who was wearing a protective boot over an injury, suffered “a loss of temper and control” as 27-year-old Mr Brinkley celebrated Forest’s penalty shootout win on May 17.
McBurnie, 26, of Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, who has scored nine goals in 18 games this season, denies a single charge of assault by beating, claiming he lost his balance after going to the aid of a team-mate.
After social media footage alleged to show the assault was played to the court on Wednesday, Mr Brinkley said he invaded the pitch from the Peter Taylor Stand because of the “adrenaline” of Forest reaching a Wembley final.
Giving his account to a district judge via a video-link to a witness room, Mr Brinkley said he had been sitting near the dugout, in the second row of the stand, for the match.
He told the court: “At half-time I spoke to a couple of (United) players.
“I said, ‘Oli McBurnie you are s*** at football, I am better than you and I’m not a pro’.”
Mr Brinkley said former Swansea and Barnsley player McBurnie had heard the comment, adding: “He responded to me, laughing, and said, ‘You look like you are’.
“I said, ‘Enjoy the Championship next season’. I had a smile on my face. Hopefully because I was joking, it came across in that way.
“It’s just a bit of banter, isn’t it?”
Asked by prosecutor Simon Jones how McBurnie had reacted, Mr Brinkley said: “He had a grin on his face – quite patronising… looking down on me.”
Describing what he claims happened moments after Forest’s 3-2 penalty shootout win, Mr Brinkley told the court: “I celebrated with the two people directly behind me. I jumped over the advertising boards – I had that much adrenaline going through me.”
After joining other fans in hugging Forest defender Steve Cook, Mr Brinkley said, he saw that United forward Billy Sharp had a nose bleed.
“My instant reaction was shock,” the supporter added. “I didn’t know how it had…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Football365…