A 12-year-old boy spent three days in hospital after being kneed and punched by a former professional footballer, a court was told yesterday.
Ex-Dundee United player Brian Rankin, who was a member of the 1974 squad which reached the Scottish Cup final, attacked the youngster after grabbing him by the hair, magistrates at Wakefield, West Yorkshire, were told.
Mr Rankin attacked the boy on June 11 last year after three schoolfriends decided to play a joke by knocking on doors and running away, the court was told.
The youngster, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the court: ''He said 'I am Scottish and I am going to effing kill ya. Stop blubbering you little ----'.''
Mr Douglas Tomlinson, prosecuting, said the 12-year-old boy was still frightened after the attack, in which Mr Rankin grabbed him from behind, dragged him by the hair, and kneed in the ribs and head.
Mr Rankin only released his grip when the boy's father was alerted by his son's friends - but the former footballer then punched the child in the head, he added.
Mr Rankin, of Clarion Street, Belle View, Wakefield, denies assaulting the boy, causing actual bodily harm.
The youngster told the magistrates that one of his friends had been speaking to one of Mr Rankin's neighbours about his gardening when he saw Mr Rankin poke his head out of the window.
''Mr Rankin then said 'Me and my mate over there will beat you three up'. We thought he was just messing around.''
As a response one of the boy's friends then made a playful reply, before suggesting that they should play a game of ''knock a door run''.
The next thing he knew, Mr Rankin was grabbing him by the hair and attacking him, he said.
''I was crying and he kneed me in the face then stepped back a bit, saw my dad, let go of me and hit me,'' the boy told the court.
The boy said that during the attack he had pleaded with 45-year-old Mr Rankin to let go of him.
Mr Richard Butters, defending, accused the boy of lying about the events which led to the incident, saying the trio had been abusive to both the gardener and Mr Rankin.
The hearing continues.
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