Albion winger Kazenga LuaLua will return to court at the end of the season over his alleged involvement in a fight outside a nightclub.
LuaLua was tried for affray at Newcastle Crown Court last month alongside two other men who were cleared.
The jury was unable to reach a verdict in LuaLua's case and the Crown Prosecution Service has now decided to proceed with a six-day retrial.
The 22-year-old's case will be heard on June 17 next year – less than a month after the Championship play-off final.
David Batcup, defending, told Judge Simon Hickey today the wait of more than six months for the retrial suited the player.
He said: "Because of his position we don't want the retrial to take place before the end of the season,"
The charge relates to disorder outside the Riverside club on Newcastle's Quayside in June last year.
The prosecution alleges it was started by the footballer's arrogance and escalated into a large-scale fight between groups of black and white men.
LuaLua told the jury at his first trial that he had nothing to do with the violence.
Orivaldo Neto, 20, of Springwell Close, Winlaton, Gateshead, pleaded guilty to affray.
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