The Aston Villa footballer, Stan Collymore, has been charged with assault, according to a police spokesperson.

The 26-year-old striker was arrested at an address in Cannock, Staffordshire, on Christmas Eve and has been bailed to appear before magistrates in the town.

Collymore - who has been romantically linked with TV presenter Ulrika Jonsson - was the country's most expensive player when he joined Liverpool from Nottingham Forest for £8.5m in 1995.

A first team regular, he has been at Aston Villa since the start of this season and is due to be in the team for the club's game against Tottenham Hotspur on Boxing day.

He has recently been struggling for form at the Birmingham club and both fans and the football pundit, Andy Gray, have been critical of his on-the-field performances.

Gray, a former Villa player and Scottish international, said that Collymore "wasn't fit to wear the famous claret and blue colours of the club".
 

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