Former football star cleared of attack

Pat Crerand (left) celebrates 1968 European Cup win

Former Manchester United star Paddy Crerand has been cleared of an alleged road rage attack.

The 63-year-old thanked the jury at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court as its unanimous verdict was read out.

Mr Crerand, of Moss Way, Sale, Greater Manchester, was found not guilty of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and not guilty of unlawful wounding.

Mark Taylor, 39, who was not in court on Thursday, had accused Mr Crerand of attacking him with a golf club after a driving row erupted.

Ex-England star Bryan Robson appeared in court

Mr Taylor maintained that Mr Crerand had cut him up and was driving "like a lunatic".

But Mr Crerand said Mr Taylor had followed him home and had come on to his property shouting and screaming before punching him.

'Peacemaker'

Mr Crerand said he had been acting in self-defence when Mr Taylor got struck on the head with the club during a scuffle.

In his defence, ex-England captain Bryan Robson and former England player Mike Summerbee came forward as character witnesses.

Mr Robson said Mr Crerand had always "shown a deaf ear and turned away from trouble," while Mr Summerbee referred to the midfielder as a "peacemaker".

In his closing speech, defence counsel Anthony Rumbelow QC, said Mr Taylor "was not telling the truth".

'Mature man'

He said: "Mr Crerand believed he was being followed, when his car turned, Mr Taylor's car turned, not once, but twice."

He told the jury: "You are dealing with a mature man who was taking care of his granddaughter."

In reference to his performance in the witness box Mr Rumbelow said: "Mr Crerand will never have had a more important 90 minutes on the pitch in his life."

In his summing-up, Judge John Burke QC referred to Mr Crerand's illustrious career in football, both as a player and as a commentator.

The former Scottish international was part of Manchester United's 1968 European Cup winning side.