Joey Barton was still dressed in the clothes he wore on Boxing Day when he heard that he would spend the new year holiday behind bars. Wearing a dark grey All Saints jersey and jeans, the Newcastle United midfield player appeared dishevelled throughout the 45-minute hearing at Liverpool Magistrates Court yesterday, speaking only to confirm his address in Widnes, Cheshire.

Barton, who was already on bail for two other unrelated offences, was refused bail and remanded in custody after being arrested at 5.30am on Thursday, when police were called to a disturbance outside a 24-hour McDonald’s restaurant in Liverpool city centre. The case is due to be heard on January 3, when the 25-year-old is expected to appear via video link.

Barton had been out with friends and family after an ankle injury forced him to miss Newcastle’s Boxing Day defeat away to Wigan Athletic.

Jayne Hughes, for the prosecution, told the court that the player could clearly be seen on CCTV footage involved in a series of incidents in Church Street. She said that he and his group became involved in a confrontation with another group inside the restaurant. The fracas spilt on to the street when an unknown man made a gesture towards the player and ended when a man was allegedly punched to the ground by Barton. One of the alleged victims is said to have lost consciousness briefly during the scuffle.

Two others, Andrew Barton, 19, his younger brother, also of Widnes, who is charged with committing actual bodily harm and affray, and Nadine Wilson, 27, of Huyton, Merseyside, who is charged with common assault and affray, are due to appear in court on a later date.

Gwyn Lewis, the player’s solicitor, said that the footballer had been subjected to a great deal of provocation because he had not signed for Everton and because Michael, his brother, was in prison for the racist murder of Anthony Walker in 2005. Lewis said that the final straw came when a woman in Barton’s group was assaulted in the street by a man.

Barton faces trial at Manchester Crown Court on June 30 for assaulting his former Manchester City teammate, Ousmane Dabo, in a training ground incident. He denies the charge.