Mr Dobbin was among a small group of supporters who were assaulted outside The Railway pub in East Street, Southend
Eight men have denied violent disorder in connection with an attack that left a football fan with brain damage.
Cambridge United supporter Simon Dobbin, 44, from Mildenhall, Suffolk, was assaulted following a game at Southend in March 2015.
He spent a year in hospital and is still recovering at home.
Twelve men appeared at Southend Magistrates' Court on Friday. Eight pleaded not guilty, while four did not enter a plea.
The case was adjourned until a later date.
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Mr Dobbin was among a small group of supporters who were assaulted outside The Railway pub in East Street, Southend, at about 21.15 GMT on 21 March last year.
He was making his way home from Southend's Roots Hall stadium at the time.
Simon Dobbin (pictured centre) was put into a medically-induced coma following the attack
Mr Dobbin returned home to Mildenhall, Suffolk in March after spending a year in hospital
The men who pleaded not guilty were:
Greg Allen, 28, of Artillery Avenue, Shoeburyness
Ryan Carter, 22, of Southend
Jamie Chambers, 22, of Coleman Street, Southend
Lewis Courtnell, 33, of Stadium Road, Southend
Philip McGill, 31, of Hornby Avenue, Westcliff
Scott Nicholls, 40, of Sherwood Close, Langdon Hill
Matthew Petchey, 24, of Lascelles Gardens, Rochford
Michael Shawyer, 30, of Belgrave Road, Leigh-on-Sea
The men who did not enter a plea were:
Rhys Pullen, 20, of Bridge Road, Wickford
Thomas Randall, 21, of Seaforth Avenue, Southend
Alexander Woods, 24, of Fairmead Avenue, Westcliff
James Woods, 24, of Fairmead Avenue, Westcliff
