Liverpool FC captain Steven Gerrard charged with assault and affray
STEVEN Gerrard was charged with assault this morning after a nightclub brawl in Southport.
The 28-year-old Liverpool captain was held in police custody for 20 hours after the early-morning disturbance at The Lounge Inn.
Local businessman Marcus McGee lost a tooth and had stitches for cuts to his face.
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Gerrard was out with friends celebrating Liverpool's 5-1 defeat of Newcastle.
At around midnight last night police confirmed they had formally charged Gerrard with assault and affray.
John Doran, 29, of Woodlands Road, and Ian Gerard Smith, 19, of Hilary Avenue, both Huyton, also face assault and affray charges.
All three are due to appear before North Sefton magistrates in Southport on January 23.
Two men, aged 33 and 31 from Huyton, were released on police bail pending further inquiries.
Accrington Stanley FC winger Bobby Grant, 18, from Litherland, was also released on bail pending further inquiries.
Mr McKee is believed to be a regular customer at the Lounge Inn and had informal access to the music decks.
The ECHO can confirm a dispute broke out after a song request was turned down.
At some stage a bottle was smashed over the head or face of the 34-year-old victim, but not by Gerrard.
Yesterday reporters and photographers were camped outside Mr McGee's home in Churchtown.
The businessman, who has a long-term partner and two daughters, had a bandage or plaster over part of his face.
He is said to have franchises in a number of companies including a windows and loft business.
Liverpool FC has still not commented on their captain's arrest.
The manager of the Lounge Inn also declined to comment.
The bar remained closed yesterday but there was evidence of a fight inside, with shards of glass scattered on tables and blood on the floor.
The nightspot, run by Dario Curcillo and Mack Naidoo, is a popular haunt for celebrities.
A relation of Mr Curcillo said: "Steven is a frequent customer and is friendly with Dario, my brother-in-law.
"This is a family place and very quiet and exclusive.
"I don't know what happened, but it's very unfortunate and very surprising."
Gerrard was out celebrating with friends after a brilliant performance for Liverpool against Newcastle earlier that day.
The footballer was out with friends from Huyton, where he grew up, and earlier visited the Continental restaurant at the Vincent Hotel on busy Lord Street.
The Lounge Inn is the new name of the former Pineapple Park which hit the headlines as the setting for an attempted murder by a hitman in 1991.
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I know everyone will be saying typcial overpaid footballer, Stevie was permitted time of and went out for a drink with a few friends were is the harm in that.
The main reason everyone is kicking of is because its us Liverpool FC for people to compare S.G with J Barton is unbeliveable this guy is a thug so just lets all wait and see the out come, I am sure as all true reds are S.G.will be a free man.
I wonder if Mr Mckee is an Everton supporter?Joking aside,Steven Gerrard is a superb midfielder and inspiring Captain for Liverpool FC.He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
" He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."...and you were in the right place at the right time to know this were you?
What a very strange comment to make Peter!Why did I need to be there to know what happened,it's made headlines in nearly every newspaper in the UK.If Liverpool FC,Rafa Benitez,Kenny Dalglish and every true Reds supporter is standing by Steven Gerrard then that is good enough for me!
Just because he was there doesn't mean he was throwing punches!
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