Gerrard denies that he lost control

Footballer Steven Gerrard has denied that he lost control on the night he thumped businessman Marcus McGee three times in a bar brawl.

The England international told a court he was used to "mither" (bother) and had ways of smoothing over trouble when confronted by people.

Gerrard, who denies affray, told Liverpool Crown Court he was having a great night on December 28 last year as he celebrated Liverpool's 5-1 crushing defeat of Newcastle Utd.

The star began his evening with friends at a bar in Formby, Merseyside, then went on to the Vincent Hotel in Southport before attending the Lounge Inn, where trouble flared.

The jury has heard that the 29-year-old estimated he was seven out of 10 on a drunkenness scale. But he told the court: "I certainly knew I had had a drink. I was certainly in control of how I felt in my surroundings."

Gerrard said he was given permission by the club manageress to choose music from a stereo Marcus McGee was operating. Recalling Mr McGee allegedly grabbing a music card menu from his hand, Gerrard said: "I asked Sabrina for permission to have an input into the music and she gave me permission to go over to the machine and have a look at the menu.

"It was a small A4-sized piece of paper covered in a plastic cover with numerous songs and then you speak to a member of staff if you want anything on. I looked for the music card and picked it up. I was looking at the music card for a couple of seconds for my songs and it was snatched out of my hands by a guy I didn't know at that time but I now know to be Marcus McGee.

"That's when I first spoke to Marcus McGee."

Asked by his barrister, John Kelsey-Fry QC, what Mr McGee said to him, Gerrard apologised to the jury for his language before replying: "He said to me 'You are not putting no f****** music on in here'. I was shocked and tried to speak to him and asked him what his problem was. I asked why I couldn't have an input in the music and tried to explain that I had permission from the manageress."

Explaining how it came to an end, Gerrard said: "He turned away from me and wasn't really listening to what I was trying to say and he swore at me a couple of times and we had an argument for four or five seconds and then he walked away." The trial continues.

Via: Yahoo! Sport