Three jailed for attack on Ramsbottom United player

Today the three men who attacked 25-year-old Matthew Edgington were jailed for their part in the alcohol-fuelled brawl.

The incident put the Ramsbottom United player in hospital for months while he received specialist intensive neurological care, and he is likely to have permanent brain damage, the court heard.

He also has vision problems in one eye and has suffered an epileptic seizure.

Samuel Jordan, 21, and Simon Parrott, 21, were sentenced to 14 months each at Manchester Crown Court while Lee Walne was jailed for six months after they all pleaded guilty to assault.

Walne, 22, who also admitted affray, was described as the "catalyst" for the incident which happened outside the trendy Panacea club in Manchester city centre in November 2009.

The court heard that the three defendants had been drinking champagne as VIP guests at the club, courtesy of Walne’s cousin, multi-millionaire business-man Gareth Derbyshire.

The violence started when Walne lunged at one of Mr Edgington’s friends, Gareth Seddon, outside the club.

Walne, of Brett Road, Boothstown, and Parrott then punched Mr Seddon while Jordan, of Ellenbrook, punched Mr Edgington twice, knocking him to the floor.

When Parrott, from Fairmount Road, Swinton, had finished attacking Mr Seddon, he joined in the attack on Mr Edgington.

The footballer was trying to run away when Parrott pun-ched him in the head from behind, knocking him uncon-scious and causing him to hit the pavement with what was described by witnesses as a “sickening thud”.

The three defendants then left the scene while door staff at the club gave first aid to Mr Edgington, who was left unconscious in a large pool of blood.

Following the hearing, Mr Edgington said he was pleased his attackers had been jailed, but he wished them all the best.

He said: “Do I forgive them? No. Not at all.

“How would I? They’re nice lads, but, you know, nice lads do bad things, and it was a horrific thing that they did.”