John Courtenay denies the charges

Mr Courtenay, 54, club chairman at Carlisle United, is charged with threatening behaviour along with his club's striker Richie Foran, 23, for brawling at the match in August 2002.

He told Gainsborough Magistrates' Court that he found himself in the middle of "bedlam" after trouble flared at the game against Lincoln City.

Violence is alleged to have broken out after he and the Carlisle striker were asked to leave the directors' box towards the end of the match.

Penalty miss

The pair had just seen Lincoln miss a penalty to hand Carlisle a 1-0 victory - despite the visitors having had three men, including Mr Foran, sent off.

He told the court that they were "getting all sorts of abuse" from Lincoln's executive members and claimed "bedlam" broke out after Lincoln's penalty miss.

Mr Courtenay said as the group was being escorted away one Lincoln steward hurled abuse at him and another grabbed hold of Mr Foran.

He claimed he was then himself sent falling to the ground and ended up with the chief steward's knee on his chest and a fist in his face.

He denied being drunk at the time and told the court he felt "absolutely humiliated" after being "sucked into a brawl like a football hooligan".

Mr Courtenay, of Dublin, and Mr Foran, of Carlisle, each deny threatening behaviour.

The trial continues.