A former England youth footballer was headbutted in a match described as “anything but a pre-season friendly”.

Lee Stevens’ cheek was split open, revealing the flesh below, after opponent Adam Bradley “acted like a red rag to a bull”.

The 30-year-old, pictured below – a youth football coach who runs his own academy – was given a suspended jail sentence at Oxford Crown Court yesterday having earlier been found guilty of causing unlawful wounding.

The attack took place during a pre-season friendly between Bradley’s Coleshill United and a Swindon pub team featuring Mr Stevens, who told jurors he had been on Southampton’s books and had captained England Under-18s.

During his evidence, Mr Stevens said Bradley, of Town End Road, Faringdon, told him he deserved it and laughed in his face after the headbutt.

n Continued on Page 2 n Continued from Page 1 The court heard police were called to the pitch immediately after the attack.

Mr Stevens needed eight stitches to the wound and said he suffered headaches and difficulty moving in the subsequent weeks, although he still managed to play three more football matches in the following fortnight.

Bradley, who was also found guilty of violent conduct at an FA hearing, maintained the clash of heads, on August 8, 2010, was an “accidental glancing blow”.

His barrister James Hartson, elder brother of former Wales striker John Hartson, said: “This was an isolated, single blow.”

He said of the game: “It was quite clearly fuelled by large amounts of local rivalry and testosterone.

“Mr Bradley acted like a red rag to a bull. It’s an aberration in an otherwise impeccable character.”

Mr Hartson said his client was “deeply remorseful” and challenged the allegation he had laughed after the incident.

Recorder Antonio Bueno, who said the match was “anything but a pre-season friendly”, gave Bradley a 12-month jail term, suspended for 18 months, with 100 hours’ unpaid work. He also ordered he pay £1,000 costs and £4,500 compensation.

He said he had never seen so many glowing references for a defendant and said he hoped Bradley would be able to continue coaching football to children despite his conviction.