A supporter at a boys' Sunday football match bit off a manager's ear to escape a gang of angry parents who attacked him, a court heard today.

The alleged attack by Peter Tucker, 49, left manager Simon Kay needing plastic surgery to replace a large chunk of his ear.

Tucker, a holistic therapist, told Hove Crown Court he was branded "the village idiot" by other supporters while shouting encouragement at the under-15s match in Middle Road, Shoreham.

The court heard he asked one supporter in particular, Peter Hardy, to stop abusing him during the Mid Sussex South Division One match in November 2000.

This led to a fight between Mr Hardy and Tucker, of Fairway Crescent, Portslade, in which the defendant alleged he was kneed in the groin by Mr Hardy and punched in the face by two other men.

After the game, the court heard, Tucker - who is registered disabled and appeared in court today on crutches - tried to leave the ground in Middle Road, Shoreham, without clashing again with Mr Hardy.

He told police he was then approached by another man, Simon Kay, who appeared angry and aggressive.

A fight broke out in which Mr Kay headbutted Tucker as both men fell to the ground, Tucker told police.

With his front teeth broken, Tucker was then kicked and punched by others who bundled on top of him as he struggled with Mr Kay, the court heard. He then bit Mr Kay's ear in order, he claimed, to escape the attack.

Tucker denies wounding Mr Kay with intent to cause bodily harm, and common assault on Mr Hardy.

He told police he was cornered by Mr Kay and others as he left the match, saying: "No longer were they thinking about winning a game of football - all their thoughts were now on me."

Tucker also told in interview how he and Mr Kay fought and fell to the ground.

He said: "I was on top of him. As we fell to the ground he headbutted me. It was not an accident.

"I just saw his ear and I wanted to bite him. If it has been his buttocks I would have bitten his buttocks. I just had to get out of there. Everything just stopped."

Yesterday, Mr Kay told the court of his fight with Tucker. He said: "I turned my head to protect the glasses so my left ear would have been completely exposed to his face. I knew two parents were coming across to help.

"Before I knew it a chunk of my ear had been taken out completely."

After the incident, Mr Kay gave up managing the team.

The case continues.