Gerrard glad to put case behind him and concentrate on his football

Liverpool captain gave a short statement outside Liverpool Crown Court after being found not guilty of affray. He said:

"Can I just say how pleased I am with today’s verdict. I’m glad to put this case behind me and I’m really looking forward to the season ahead and concentrating on my football now. I’d like to say a big thank you to my legal team, to my friends and family and everyone at Liverpool football club for supporting me."

Judge Henry Globe QC told Gerrard:

"The verdict is a credible verdict on the full facts of this case, and you walk away from this court with your reputation intact."

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez said that he was delighted with the verdict, who was told of Gerrard's acquittal during a training session in the national stadium of Singapore.

"We are really pleased. He is very important for us and he can now focus just on football,” he told the official web site.

"We are all pleased at the club and over here at the training camp.”

"We have been supporting him all the time and were just waiting for the decision. Now he can concentrate just on football and hopefully play at the same level as last year."


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Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard found not guilty of affray

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has been found not guilty of affray. The Reds midfielder had been accused of attacking Marcus McGee, 34, after a row over music in the Lounge Inn in Southport, in the early hours of December 29. Gerrard denied affray and says he was acting in self-defence, believing Mr McGee was about to attack him.

The jury was sent out shortly after 11.25am today to consider their verdict. Judge Henry Globe QC, the Recorder of Liverpool said to the jury before they were left to deliberate "It is of considerable importance to all parties - Marcus McGee, Steven Gerrard and everyone who became involved in the explosion of violence at the Lounge Inn bar in Southport last December. Put aside any football loyalty for impartiality and try the case on the evidence."

The jury needed less then 90 minutes to decide that father of two, Gerrard was not guilty of the charge.

The Reds captain is due to play in a Liverpool XI against Tranmere Rovers tonight.


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Gerrard nightclub clash video released

Footage of Steve Gerrard apparently involved in a brawl in a Southport bar last December has been released. The Liverpool captain who was attending his second day at Liverpool Crown is alleged to have been involved in a nightclub clash in the early hours of 29 December in which businessman Marcus McGee, 34, was injured.

Gerrard, the father-of-two is accused of affray - which he denies.

Presecuting QC David Turner said Gerrard asked McGee for a card controlling the CD player, by saying: "Here y'are lad. Give me that lad." But McGee objected to his attitude and the expression 'lad', reports the Guardian.

Turner said: "Not many people on Merseyside, or indeed anywhere else would refuse a request from Steven Gerrard, but Mr McGee did.”

"There can be no doubt that this refusal astounded Steven Gerrard. He walked away back to his party, but the CCTV evidence shows how much his mood had changed. He was no longer the centre of that high-spirited party.”

"He was clearly walking round, pondering, musing over what had happened, about the man who said no to Steven Gerrard."

The prosecution state that six minutes later, Gerrard returned to the bar, approached McGee who was sitting alone and confronted him with the words: "Who the fuck do you think you are?"

"Steven Gerrard had clearly lost his cool – he was very angry with Marcus McGee."

One of Gerrard's friends. John Doran, pushed McGee away and elbowed him in the face. The prosecution claims Gerrard then "totally lost it".

"Almost immediately after the blow from John Doran, in fact within seconds, Steven Gerrard joined in the attack with a succession of well-aimed uppercut punches, delivered with the style and speed of a professional boxer, rather than professional footballer."

In police interview Gerrard said he punched Mr McGee because he believed he was going to be attacked.

Proceedings will resume tomorrow morning when it is expected Mr McGee will give evidence.

The footage can be seen here: