A football player is accused of attacking an opposing team member after allegedly being ridiculed about losing a game.

Michael Hicks, a former Chesterton FC player, is on trial at Oxford Crown Court charged with one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm after reportedly attacking a player from Charlton United Football Club in Charlton-on-Otmoor near Islip. 

It is alleged that Hicks, known to friends as 'Hicksie', had attacked the player outside his home in Bicester on March 10, 2020, several days after being ridiculed for losing a game.

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The 39-year-old, of Bannerman Drive in Brackley, Northamptonshire, has denied the offence and is due to give evidence this week during the three-day trial.

On Monday (September 16), the trial was opened for a 12-strong jury.

They heard that Hicks used to be a player for Charlton FC but had moved to Chesterton FC.

It is unknown why the defendant had swapped teams.

The two teams then played against each other in March 2020 – resulting in a win from the latter.

Reportedly, Hicks had been ‘ripped into’ for losing the match including a message ridiculing him which was sent in the Chesterton FC group chat about Hicks which had made its way back to him.

“We say he wasn’t very happy about that,” the prosecuting barrister said.

Days later, a player from Chesterton FC was putting his bins outside his home at 6.20am when he noticed a Corsa vehicle parked nearby.

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He allegedly saw the defendant and shouted: “Alright Hicksie?”

Hicks is accused of then attacking the player, punching him several times causing him to fall and continuing to kick him whilst he was down.

The complainant suffered from a number of bruises and scratches and required a cut on his head to be glued at the hospital.

He called the police immediately and told officers he knew who the attacker was.

Hicks denied the offence but it was noted that at 6.38am, he was seen entering the Bicester Hotel Golf & Spa gym.

The prosecution stated this is ‘a lot earlier’ than he would usually attend the gym.

The jury were told that, at the time of the offence, Hicks also owned a Vauxhall Corsa vehicle.

That morning, he was caught on an automatic camera on the A4221 travelling between Brackley and Bicester.

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“We say this was not the shortest or quickest journey to the gym,” the Crown Prosecution Service barrister said.

“But it is the most direct route to [the complainant’s home].”

The trial, which is expected to last three days, continues this week.